A bagful of apps in the iTunes Store purport to detect ghosts and paranormal activity. An iPhone’s sensors are certainly capable of measuring activity well beyond the scope of human senses. Ghost hunting on the iPhone may be akin to the Ouija board; a novelty to some and legitimate tool to others.
Ghost Radar
Ghost Radar is designed to detect paranormal activity through the use of the various sensors on an iPhone, measuring electromagnetic fields, vibrations, and sounds. The ghost hunting app analyzes these sensorial readings and offers indications when patterns are detected, using a voice to indicate when interesting words are picked up.
Developer Spud Pickles lays claim to delivering the "original" paranormal app for the iPhone. Delivery of version 1.0 of Ghost Radar to the iTunes Store in May, 2009 predates any other ghost app, lending credence to the claim. Note that it has been categorized in the Entertainment section of the iTunes Store, perhaps more honestly than other paranormal apps, which can be found in the Utilities section. The oldest and still best of the ghost detection app field. Treat this as a novelty, and you won’t be disappointed.
Ghost Radar costs $0.99 and is available through Apple’s iTunes Store.
Phantom Radar – The Ghost Detector
Phantom Radar was formerly known as Ghost Radar Free, and is developed by Inner Four, Inc. The one thing that most clearly differentiates their ghost hunting app from the other ghost detectors is the free price. Phantom Radar features a radar display smack dab in the middle of the screen, and a fluctuating electromagnetic wave above. It is designed to indicate detected abnormalities with dots of blue, yellow, or red, ranging from weak to strong readings. It also claims an ability to reveal hidden words contained in the electromagnetic fields around you. Since it’s free, you have nothing to lose by downloading it and taking it for a spin.
Phantom Radar – The Ghost Detector is Free and available directly from Apple’s iTunes Store.
Ghost Hunter PRO
Ghost Hunter PRO developer John Cotant bundles three tools into one. It offers sensors to detect: (1) Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP), sounds of paranormal origin; (2) Electromagnetic Field (EMF) variances; and (3) an ability to record the paranormal activity to video from within the ghost hunting app itself.
The same developer also offers Ghost Hunter EVP and Ghost Hunter EMF for $1.99 each, but Ghost Hunter PRO appears to offer the functionality of both, plus a video recorder, at the same price. The app has been criticized, because it is not designed to measure EMF to any standard scientific scale (e.g. microteslas or milligauss). Comparisons with professional meters have also called into question the EMF fluctuations detected.
Ghost Hunter PRO costs $1.99 and is available directly from Apple’s iTunes Store.
Ghost Detector Pro
Ghost Detector Pro offers an on-screen radar tuned to your device’s "environmental sensors," and built on "complex statistical models." Ghost Detector Pro also allows for audible alerts using your device’s built-in speaker. Developer Anthony LaMantia indicates that detection may require as long as seven to twelve hours of continuous monitoring in non-active locations, but how practical is that? He also offers quite a roadmap for his ghost detection app, but we’re still waiting on the first revision, since the initial release in February, 2010. Doesn’t live up to its potential.
Ghost Detector Pro costs $1.99 and is available directly from Apple’s iTunes Store.
Electromagnetic Frequency
An entire category of apps are dedicated to the detection of electromagnetic frequencies (EMF). Since the delivery of the iPhone 3Gs, which added a compass on-board, detection of magnetic and electromagnetic input has been possible with an iOS device. Be warned that earlier iPhone models do not support these functions, nor does the iPod Touch.
The compass within the iPhone 3Gs and iPhone 4 is capable of measuring the interference created by either ferromagnetic metal or potential paranormal activity. It is believed ghosts and paranormal activity can disrupt magnetic fields, and it may be possible to detect their presence through the measurement of EMF variations. All of the ghost detectors incorporate EMF detection into their basic feature set. These EMF apps all provide measurements on accepted scientific scales, and can be used to detect both normal and paranormal electromagnetic activity.
iEMF
iEMF is the newest electromagnetic detector in the App Store, but developer Joshua Waller delivers one of the most complete feature sets among EMF detectors. A variety of filters allow for finer calibration of your readings. You can zero out the device, cancel out the Earth’s ambient field, and apply a low pass filter to smooth out noise. It offers display measurement in both Tesla and Gauss scales, with multiple scaling and magnification options. The backlit display, along with multiple LCD color schemes, further serve to round out a significant feature set. This is the ghost tracker app for the iPhone that I would recommend to anyone with a serious interest in ghosts and the detection of paranormal activity.
iEMF costs $0.99 and is available directly from Apple’s iTunes Store.
EMF METER +
EMF METER + is another relatively new entrant to the App Store. Developer Hamway has designed an app that allows you to view the raw data of the magnetic fields around you, directly on your iPhone’s display. EMF METER + can detect the strength of EMF on three axes (X,Y,Z), and measured in microteslas ( µT ). You can capture and record event logs, add time and date stamps, or pause to capture instantaneous readings. Certainly worthy of consideration, if you are in the market for an EMF detector for either normal or paranormal activity.
EMF METER + costs $0.99 and is available directly from Apple’s iTunes Store.
Magnetometer
Magnetometer has been designed for the detection of electromagnetic fluctuations. Developer Kory Hearn suggests this utility can be deployed as both a ferromagnetic metal (e.g. iron, steel), and paranormal detector. Magnetometer will measure magnetic fields on the X, Y, and Z axes, using a microtesla ( µT ) scale. It is also possible to display a magnitude reading with this app. Magnetometer falls short of the competition.
Magnetometer costs $0.99 and is available directly from Apple’s iTunes Store.
Screwed! – Survival Tools for Today’s World
Screwed! – Survival Tools for Today’s World is a unique, all-in-one survival app for a wide variety of normal, abnormal, and paranormal activity. Developer Fishington Studios casts a wide net over potential predicaments. From homeland security, to rednecks, to vampires, their app offers a complex tongue-in-cheek toolkit. Among the tools here is an EMF meter capable of measuring on three axes in microteslas ( µT ). If ghosts are one of your many worries, and you want to cover a lot of bases, Screwed! may be just the trick. It packs a substantial balance of practical and entertaining utilities into a single package.
Screwed! – Survival Tools for Today’s World costs $1.99 and is available from Apple’s iTunes Store.