smartphone

American  

[smahrt-fohn] / ˈsmɑrtˌfoʊn /

Or smart phone

noun

smartphones plural

1. a device that combines a cell phone with a handheld computer, typically offering internet access, data storage, email capability, etc.

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smartphone British  

/ ˈsmɑːtˌfəʊn /

noun

1. computing a mobile telephone with computer features that may enable it to interact with computerized systems, send e-mails, and access the web

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• smartphones
  plural

Etymology

Origin of smartphone

First recorded in 1995–2000

Compare meaning

How does smartphone compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cell phone vs. smartphone

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

smartphone smartphones

Another resident spoke of downloading a smartphone app to track decibel levels throughout the day, intending to document the noise of the coaster screams and report any violations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

“It’s holding back PC builds and smartphone builds. Cloud customers are paying premiums,” and presumably not to stash memory components in warehouses, he noted.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

Pegasus can be installed surreptitiously onto a target's smartphone and read messages, geolocate and secretly turn on the device's camera and microphone -- effectively turning the phone into a pocket spy.

From Barron's ● Jul. 16, 2026

Apple’s artificial-intelligence system has secured government approval in China, clearing a major roadblock for the iPhone maker to introduce the service in the world’s largest smartphone market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

"Sure. I don't have anything going on. As you already know. You keep track of my calendar better than my smartphone."

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 169, expanding its mobile driver’s license pilot program, which allows Californians to securely add their driver’s license or state identification card to their smartphones.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

It said there was no one single factor causing the crisis, citing the Covid-19 pandemic, smartphones, health issues and the current jobs market, which has seen a sharp drop in the number of entry-level positions.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Tech firms are racing to roll out advanced smartphones that use artificial intelligence to do everything from ordering food to composing messages upon a simple voice command.

From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026

It envisions a future in which consumers still have smartphones, but increasingly use other devices worn on their bodies to talk to AI chatbots, send texts and take pictures or videos.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Remember, this was in the era before smartphones and the internet.

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day