List of Phones With An IR Blaster

Gone and never to come are those days when remote controls meant everything for homeowners with electronic devices at home. As we speak, you can now control an array of electronic devices back at home using your smartphone. This can be attributed to the fact that some phone models come with IR blasters. Earlier on, the IR blaster or Infrared blaster used to play a fundamental role in sharing files with older devices. It also played a crucial role in establishing an internet connection between older phones and a computer. However, most users never got to utilize this feature for longer periods as it was replaced by the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth features.

Although recent models hardly come with an IR blaster, some of the models made by popular brands such as Samsung usually have an IR blaster. Typically, this feature resembles a transparent infrared LED that is found in remote control. In most cases, the IR blaster is located at the top section of your phone. With this feature in place, your smartphone doubles up as a universal remote control. Consequently, you will have an easy time controlling electronic devices at home. In this article, we shall take a closer look at the various phones that come with IR blasters and remote control features.

Next, IR Blaster can be used for various purposes

If your smartphone comes with an IR blaster, be sure that you will be able to command your home appliances seamlessly. Like we mentioned, this feature makes your smartphone work like a typical universal control. Some of the devices that you can control using your phone’s IR blaster include; your music system, Television set, air conditioner, and so on.

For you to control the above-mentioned devices using your phone’s IR blaster, you must ensure that they are compatible with IR remotes. As the name of this feature suggests, the IR sends different commands via infrared rays to any device that you want to control. You do not have to pair your desired device with Bluetooth feature so that you can control it.

This means that you can now control an electronic device with your smartphone even if it does not come with Bluetooth connectivity features. Consequently, you will be able to have an easy time anytime you want to watch your favorite channels, regulate the temperatures of your home, listen to your favorite music and so forth.

You Can Use Your Phone As A Remote Control

Besides using your phone to make calls, texting your friends and surfing the internet, you can now use it to control a number of electronic devices at home. From the discussion above, you can now use it a universal remote control if at all it has an IR blaster.

However, if your smartphone does not come with an IR blaster, you can still use it as a remote control and enjoy more convenience . In the subsequent sections, we shall take a closer look at how you can utilize your device as a remote control, regardless of whether it comes with an IR blaster or not:

1. Utilize your built-in infrared IR blaster

If your phone comes with a build-in IR blaster, chances are that it comes with a pre-installed app that can help you control a number of electronic devices in your home. In case your model has this app in place, you can launch it and control the device that you please.

However, if your phone does not come with a pre-installed app, you can now find a compatible app on Google Play Store and then utilize it to control your desired home audio or video device. Some of the apps that you can utilize include:

• Galaxy Universal Remote app
• IR Universal Remote app
• AnyMote Smart IR Remote

2. Use an Infrared adapter

In case your phone does not come with an IR blaster, consider purchasing an IR adapter such as Rommie Blaster for iOS devices. In fact this adapter works optimally with iPads and iPhones. If you have an Android device that comes with an IR blaster, consider investing in an android. Besides these IR adapters, you can now invest in the Logitech Harmony Hub.

Unlike other conventional IR adapters, this one works optimally for Apple and Android devices. Apart from allowing you to control your home appliances via IR, this adapter can also allow you to command your device using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Thankfully, you can now purchase any of these IR adapters from reputable online stores such as Amazon.

3. Utilize manufacturer apps

As we speak, there is a plethora of manufacturer apps that can turn your Android device into a universal remote. Renowned brands such as Samsung, LG, and Sony usually have their own proprietary apps. Therefore, you might not essentially need to have a device that has an IR blaster. To be on the safe side, your home appliances must have the same brand. For instance, you can opt to have appliances made by LG or Samsung only.

As you purpose to use manufacturer apps, you will be required to connect your handset and appliances to the same Wi-Fi network. Besides this, you will be required to download a different app for each home appliance you intend to control remotely. For optimal results, check the mobile app that works optimally with your appliances’ brand or manufacturer.

4. Use an external pairing device

Apart from the methods that we have mentioned above, you can now use your Android phone as a universal remote by using an external pairing device. A good example of this device is the Logitech Harmony Hub. Unlike other conventional IR adapters, this one works optimally for Apple and Android devices.

Apart from allowing you to control your home appliances via IR, this adapter can also allow you to command your device using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Apart from the Logitech Harmony Hub, you can now invest in small portable devices such as Pronto. The good news is that you can now purchase these devices on Amazon and other reputable online stores.

List Of Phones With IR Blaster And Use As A Remote Control

If you are looking for a phone with an IR blaster, here are some of the best models that you can consider investing in:

1. Samsung Galaxy Note 4

First and foremost, Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is one of flagship models that comes with IR blaster. Besides this, the model boasts of having other impressive features that will mesmerize you. Some of those features include:

• The model comes with a 5.7 inch Super AMOLED screen display that is large enough for you to watch movies, play mobile games, surf the internet and even stream online content.
• It is powered by a Qualcomm APQ8084 Snapdragon 805 (28 nm) Exynos 5433 chipset and runs on Android 4.4.4.(KitKat),which can be upgraded to 6.0.1 (Marshmallow)
• The above-mentioned model comes with a 32GB ROM and a 3GB RAM. Besides this, the model comes with a Memory card slot where you can insert your SD card and expand the phone’s internal memory storage.
• At the back, the model comes with a 16MP camera and a LED flash feature that allows you to take high quality photos even at night. To enable you take fairly decent photos, the model comes with a single 3.7 MP camera at the front.
• When it comes to the battery section, the model does not disappoint as it comes with a long lasting Li-Ion 3220 mAh battery.
• The model comes with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities

2. Samsung Galaxy S4

Besides the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, the other model that came with an IR blaster is the Samsung Galaxy S4. Apart from having an IR blaster, the model prides itself in having the following incredible features:

• The model comes with a 5.0 inch Super AMOLED screen display that is large enough to allow you play mobile games, stream online contents, watch movies, surf the internet and so forth.
• It runs on Android 4.2.2(Jelly Bean) and can be upgraded to 5.0.1 (Lollipop)
• The phone is powered by Exynos 5410 Octa (28 nm) chipset
• When it comes to the storage section, the model comes with a 16GB ROM and 2GB RAM. Besides this, it comes with a dedicated slot where you can insert your SD card.
• At the front, the model comes with a 2MP camera and 13 MP camera at the back. Apart from this, there is a LED flash feature that allows you to take great photos even at night.
• To enable you remain connected for longer, the model comes with a long-lasting removable battery whose capacity is 2600 mAh.

3. LG G5

To start with, the above-mentioned model was released in 2016. However, it is no longer being released. Unlike other models, this one is one of the best models that came with an IR blaster back then. Additionally, the model came with the following features:

• It runs on Android 6.0.1 (Marshmallow), which can be upgraded to Android 8.0 (Oreo)
• The model comes with a 5.3 inch screen display
• The phone is powered by a Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 (14 nm) chipset.
• When it comes to the storage section, the phone boasts of having a 32GB ROM and 4GB RAM.
• At the front, the model comes with a single 8MP camera and a dual camera at the back, whose capacity is 16MP and 8MP respectively. There is also an LED flash feature that enables you to take high quality photos even at night.
• The model comes with a long lasting battery whose capacity is 2800 mAh.

4. Vivo X80 Pro

If you are looking for a phone with an IR blaster that comes with a large screen display, look no further as the Vivo X80 Pro is the ultimate choice for you. Unlike other models, this one comes with a 6.7 Inch screen display. Besides this, the model comes with the following incredible features:

• It comes with a 256GB ROM and 12GB ROM. With these features in place, you will have ample space to store photos, videos, documents and so forth. Additionally, your phone will hardly hang, thanks to its large RAM.
• The model comes with 4 cameras at the back whose capacities are 50MP, 48MP, 12MP and 8MP respectively. On the front, the model boast of having a 32MP camera. These cameras allow you to take decent photos and videos anytime you please.
• When it comes to the battery section, the model prides itself in offering a long lasting 4700 mAh.
• The model is powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and runs on Android 12.

5. Huawei P50 Pro

Although the Huawei P50 Pro does not come with Google Play Services, it comes with an IR blaster and other awesome features. To start with, it comes with a 6.6 inch screen display that is large enough to enable you to watch your favorite movies, stream online contents, surf the internet, play mobile games and so much more. Apart from this, here are other features that make this model great:

• The model comes with a long lasting battery whose capacity is 4360 mAh.
• It is powered by Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 chipset and runs on HarmonyOS 2.0 (China) operating system.
• When it comes to the internal storage, the model prides itself in having a 128GB ROM and 8GB RAM. Besides this, there is a slot where you can insert an SD card of up to 256GB. Unlike other models, you have to forego one SIM card and use a shared SIM slot.
• The model comes with 4 cameras at the back, whose capacity is 50MP, 64MP, 13MP and 40 MP respectively. At the front, the model boasts of having a single 13MP camera. With the latter in place, you will be able to take decent selfies anytime you please.
• Unlike other models, this one comes with a long lasting Li-Po 4360 mAh battery.

6. Poco F4 GT

The above-mentioned model is one of the flagship phones that was released 5 months ago. Thankfully, the model comes with a 6.7 inch AMOLED screen display and runs on Android 12. Besides this, here are other features that set this model apart from its peers:

• The model is powered by Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)
• Although the model does not come with an SDcard slot, it comes with a 128GB ROM and 8GB RAM. With these storage spaces in place, your phone will hardly hang. Additionally, your phone will have sufficient space to store videos, photos, documents and so forth.
• At the back the model prides itself in having 3 cameras whose capacity is 64MP, 8MP and 2 MP. Apart from this, there is a dual-LED flash feature that makes it easy for you to take high quality photos even at night. At the front, the model comes with 20MP camera. This camera allows you to take some of the finest selfies that you can think of.
• To enable you remain connected for longer periods, the device comes with a Li-Po 4700 mAh battery.

7. Xiaomi 12 Pro

This is another Xiaomi’s latest flagship model that comes with an IR blaster. Unlike the Poco F4 GT, this one boasts of having a 6.73 inch LTPO AMOLED screen display. Apart from this, the model comes with the following impressive features:

• It runs on Android 12 and is powered by Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) chipset.
• The model comes with a 128GB ROM and 8GB RAM. However, the model does not come with an SDcard slot.
• When it comes to the camera section, the model does not disappoint as it comes with 3 cameras, whose capacities is 50MP each. Additionally, there is a Dual LED flash feature that allows you to take high quality photos and videos even under light intensities. At the front, the model comes with a 32 MP camera that allows you to take high quality selfies.
• The model comes with a long lasting Li-Po battery whose capacity is 4600 mAh.

8. Redmi Note 11 Pro and Pro Plus

Apart from the models that we have discussed above, the Redmi Note 11 Pro and Pro Plus is another incredible pair that comes with IR blasters. Here are the specifications for each of these model:

Redmi Note 11 Pro Specifications

Besides coming with an IR blaster, this model comes with the following features:

• It comes with a 6.67 inch Super AMOLED screen display.
• The model runs on Android 11 and is powered by Mediatek Helio G96 (12nm) chipset
• It comes with a 64GB ROM and 6GB RAM.
• As far as the camera section is concerned, the model boasts of having 4 cameras at the back. These cameras have the capacity of 108MP, 8MP, 2MP and 2MP respectively. In addition, there is a LED flash feature that allows you to take quality photos even at night. At the front, the model comes with a single 16MP camera to enable you take high quality selfies.
• Unlike other models, this one comes with a Li-Po battery whose capacity is 5000 mAh.

9. Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus

Apart from the model mentioned above, the Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus is another flagship model that comes with an IR blaster. Apart from having the IR blaster, the model boasts of having the following features:

• It comes with a 6.67 Super AMOLED screen display.
• It runs on Android 11 and is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 920 (6nm)
• The model comes with a 128GB ROM and 6GB RAM.
• When it comes to the camera section, the phone prides itself in having 3 cameras at the back. These cameras have the capacity of 108MP, 8MP and 2MP respectively. In addition, the model comes with a LED flash feature. At the front, the model comes with a single 16MP camera.
• The model is powered by a Li-Po battery whose capacity is 4500 mAh.

10. TCL 10 Pro

The above-mentioned model was released in May, 2020 and comes with an IR blaster. Besides this feature, the model prides itself in having the following incredible features:

• It comes with a 6.47 AMOLED screen display
• The phone runs on Android 10, which can be upgraded to Android 11.
• It is powered by the Qualcomm SDM675 Snapdragon 675 (11 nm) chipset.
• The model comes with a 128GB ROM and 6GB RAM.
• At the front, the model boasts of having a single 24 MP camera and 4 cameras at the back. These include 64MP, 16MP, 5MP and 2MP respectively. Additionally, there is a Dual-LED flash feature that enables you to take high quality photos even under low light intensities.
• To enable you to remain connected for longer, the model comes with a long lasting Li-Po battery whose capacity is 4500 mAh.

List of Other Phones That Comes With IR Blaster

• LG G Flex
• LG G Flex 2
• LG G Pro 2
• LG G Pro Lite
• LG G2
• LG G2 Mini
• LG G3
• LG G4
• LG G5
• LG Gx
• LG Optimus G Pro
• LG Optimus Vu II
• LG V10
• LG V20
• LG Vu 3
• Motorola A760
• Motorola A925
• Motorola MPx200
• Motorola Timeport
• Nokia 3110 classic
• Nokia 3200
• Nokia 3230
• Nokia 3650
• Nokia 5070
• Nokia 5200
• Nokia 5210
• Nokia 5300
• Nokia 5500 Sport
• Nokia 5700 XpressMusic
• Nokia 6020
• Nokia 6070
• Nokia 6100
• Nokia 6101
• Nokia 6110
• Nokia 6111
• Nokia 6125
• Nokia 6130
• Nokia 6131
• Nokia 6150
• Nokia 6210
• Nokia 6230
• Nokia 6233
• Nokia 6250
• Nokia 6260 slide
• Nokia 6270
• Nokia 6280 Series
• Nokia 6290
• Nokia 6310
• Nokia 6310i
• Nokia 6510
• Nokia 6600
• Nokia 6610
• Nokia 6620
• Nokia 7110
• Nokia 7210
• Nokia 7250
• Nokia 7280
• Nokia 7390
• Nokia 7600
• Nokia 7650
• Nokia 8210
• Nokia 8310
• Nokia 8810
• Nokia 8850/8890
• Nokia 8910
• Nokia 9000 Communicator
• Nokia 9210 Communicator
• Nokia 9300
• Nokia 9500 Communicator
• Nokia E50
• Nokia E51
• Nokia E60
• Nokia E61
• Nokia E65
• Nokia E66
• Nokia E70
• Nokia E71
• Nokia E90 Communicator
• Nokia N71
• Nokia N73
• Nokia N75
• Nokia N80
• Nokia N92
• Nokia N93
• Nokia N95
• Nokia N900
• Poco X3
• Redmi 3
• Redmi 5
• Redmi 10
• Redmi 10 5G
• Redmi K30
• Redmi K30 Pro
• Redmi K40
• Redmi Note 3
• Redmi Note 4
• Redmi Note 5
• Redmi Note 5A
• Redmi Note 6 Pro
• Redmi Note 7
• Redmi Note 8
• Redmi Note 9
• Redmi Note 10
• Redmi Note 11
• Sony Ericsson K800i
• Sony Ericsson K810i
• Siemens C65
• Siemens C72
• Siemens C75
• Siemens CX75
• Siemens M65
• Siemens M75
• Siemens ME45
• Siemens S40
• Siemens S45
• Siemens S55
• Siemens S65
• Siemens SF65
• Siemens SL10
• Siemens SL45
• Siemens SL55
• Siemens SX1
• Siemens SX45
• Siemens SXG75
• Sony Ericsson K550
• Sony Ericsson K600
• Sony Ericsson K700
• Sony Ericsson K750
• Sony Ericsson M600
• Sony Ericsson P1
• Sony Ericsson P800
• Sony Ericsson P900
• Sony Ericsson P910
• Sony Ericsson P990
• Sony Ericsson T68
• Sony Ericsson T300
• Sony Ericsson T610
• Sony Ericsson W200
• Sony Ericsson W300i
• Sony Ericsson W600
• Sony Ericsson W610i
• Sony Ericsson W710
• Sony Ericsson W800
• Sony Ericsson W810
• Sony Ericsson W850i
• Sony Ericsson W900i
• Sony Ericsson W950
• Sony Ericsson Z710
• Sony Ericsson Z800i
• Sony Xperia ZL
• Samsung Galaxy J
• Samsung Galaxy Mega
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
• Samsung Galaxy Note 4
• Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
• Samsung Galaxy Round
• Samsung Galaxy S4
• Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini
• Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom
• Samsung Galaxy S5
• Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini
• Samsung Galaxy S6
• Samsung Galaxy S6 Active
• Samsung SGH-E700
• Samsung SGH-E715
• Samsung i300
• Samsung SGH-X200
• Samsung SPH-i700
• TCL 10 Pro
• Droid Turbo 2
• Honor 6 Plus
• Honor 7
• Honor 8
• Honor 8 Pro
• Honor 9
• HTC Blue Angel
• HTC Butterfly 2
• HTC Butterfly 3
• HTC Butterfly S
• HTC One (M7)
• HTC One (M8)
• HTC One M9
• HTC One M9+
• HTC One Max
• HTC P3600
• HTC TyTN
• HTC Universal
• Huawei Honor 6
• Huawei Mate 9
• Huawei Mate 10
• Huawei Mate 20
• Huawei Mate 30
• Huawei Mate 40
• Huawei Mate X
• Huawei Mate X2
• Huawei P10
• Huawei P20
• Huawei P30
• Huawei P40
• Huawei P50

Things to Consider When Choose A Phone With An IR Blaster

If you want to invest in a phone that has an IR blaster, it is important to note that the IR is basically the same in all models. Whether you want to invest in an older model or a relatively newer one, the IR feature will function the same way. Therefore, you might have to prioritize other features as they will affect your convenience in one way or another. Some of the features that you should be keen to check include the following:

• Presence of a large screen display. If your phone comes with a large screen display, you will have a larger interface to watch your favorite movies, control your TV, stream online content, play mobile games, surf the internet and so much more.
• It should have a long lasting battery. With this component in place, you will not have to panic that your phone will run out of charge anytime you are using it. The higher the battery’s capacity, the better the model.
• Your model of choice should have a good camera. Besides using your phone as a universal remote control, you need to take high quality photos and videos in order to keep memories. Therefore, your model of choice should have a good rear and front camera.
• The model should have a larger RAM and internal storage. It does not hurt to have a phone that has a larger ROM and RAM. With these components in place, you will have ample space to store all your favorite files and documents. Besides this, you can trust that your phone will hardly hang.
• Your model of choice should be unlocked. This way, you can be sure that you will use it with nearly any carrier that operates in your region or country.
• Your preferred model should come at a budget-friendly price. This way, you will not have to strain your budget in order to afford one. Thankfully, most of those models that come with IR blasters usually come at pocket-friendly prices.
• Besides the above-mentioned features, it should come with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities. These features will help you connect it to other devices seamlessly.

Checking Ways to know if a phone has IR blaster

There are a number of ways that can help you establish whether your desired model comes with an IR blaster or not. First and foremost, try to locate the IR blaster physically. Here, you can check whether your phone has a transparent IR LED like that of a remote control at the top. If you come across this feature, chances are that your phone has an IR blaster. Besides this method, you can take your phone’s manual and check whether the IR blaster feature has been mentioned anywhere. In case it has been mentioned anywhere in the manual, chances are that your phone has an IR blaster.

Better still, visit your manufacturer’s official website and establish if the IR feature has been mentioned or not. If you come across the IR feature on the manufacturer’s site, be sure that your model has an IR blaster. You can also visit the Google Play Store and then download the IR Test app. Once download this app, launch it and then allow it to run a series of tests on your device for a few minutes.

After that, you will be able to establish whether your device supports the IR blaster or not. Apart from this method, you can visit 3^rd party such as GSMArena.com and then check whether you will see the IR blaster feature among the phone’s list of specifications on your screen.

You Can Use Your iPhone as a remote control

First and foremost, iPhones do not come with IR blasters. However, you can still utilize your iPhone to control your Apple TV 4K, Apple TV (3^rd Generation), Apple TV HD, or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV. In case you have the latest version of iOS, be sure that the Apple TV Remote control will be added to the Control Center automatically. However, if your iPhone used the older version of iOS, you can now add the Apple TV remote to the Control Center, thereby be able to control your Apple TV seamlessly.

All you need to do is to go to the ‘Settings’ icon and then tap on the ‘Control Center’ option. Thereafter, click on the ‘+’ sign next to the Apple TV Remote. In case you want to utilize the Apple TV Remote with AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV, consider adding your smart TV to the Home app and then assign it to a room. For more information, visit “support.apple.com/en-us/HT201664”

Can OnePlus be used as a remote

Yes. Although this model does not come with an IR blaster, it can still be used as a remote control. However, you have to either download the Android TV remote control app on your phone or utilize those apps that are already provided by your operator. Better still, consider downloading 3^rd party apps from Google Play Store and installing it on your device. Thereafter, you will be able to transform your OnePlus model into a remote control.

Is IR blaster harmful

Not really. The good news is that the IR is very safe to use. If your model comes with this feature, it will work like a universal remote control. Just like a typical remote control, the IR blaster cannot be seen using a naked eye. Its wavelength is actually beyond the normal range of visible light. Consequently, this feature’s signal may not have any impact on the human body. You can therefore utilize it for hours worry-free and be good to go.