An average person does not always walk with a centimeter or measuring tape in his pocket. And then you sometimes end up in a situation where you really really want to measure something... Then take a good look in your pocket! If you find an iPhone in it, you can still measure.
With the more recent versions of iOS (from 12) Apple has invested heavily in AR or Augmented Reality. In doing so, a computer-generated image is superimposed on the image seen by the camera. However, the gap goes beyond a simple overlay, because - depending on the app - that computer image is interactive. Nice for a game where the main characters run across your living room table, or practical in the case of an app that measures things, for example. That's exactly what the Measure app does. It can be found by default in iOS, so you don't have to install or download it separately. Start the app and - if necessary - tap To measure bottom left of the image. You will now be asked to move your iPhone, as shown in the animation. Do that and then - with a bit of luck - shapes will be recognized in the image. You will then see a yellow dotted grid appear. Then tap the plus button and the chosen surface will turn milky white. You will also see the length and width shown. Tap the round photo button and an image will be placed on the camera roll, including measured values and a calculated area. Handy for when you walk around in Ikea again, for example. If a shape is not recognized, then no man is overboard. Place the dot on the circle on one side of the object to be measured and tap the plus button. Go to the end of the object to be measured and click on + again. You now see the length in the picture. In the same way - continue pluses - more measuring points can be added. It may take some playing before you get the hang of it, but then it works nicely. Keep in mind that the measured values are less precise than if you were to use a real tape measure. Not something to work with to the centimeter and base expensive purchases on an iPhone measurement! But useful for making quick estimates.
Level
Apart from the tape measure, your iPhone also has a spirit level. To do this, tap the button Level in the Measure app. Put your phone on its edge and you have access to a regular spirit level. If you lay the phone flat, you get a spirit level that works in all directions. Similar to a round glass containing water and an air bubble, such as you find on some camera tripods. Laying something exactly completely flat is then quickly arranged. Keep in mind that iPhones with the lens sticking out will have a slight deviation if you use the device in this lay-flat mode; after all, the device is never completely flat! A solution is to use a tight-fitting case so that the protruding lens no longer protrudes. This also prevents damage if you use your device on materials that have the potential to cause scratches. Think of stone, concrete, steel and so on.
