It is no surprise that smart phones offer more abilities each year beyond just being a phone. Each year more and more apps come out that push the boundaries between being a phone and being something more. Recently, apps have been released that offer the ability to turn a cell phone into a TV remote control. This phone universal remote is similar to the ones purchased in store, but they are also different in some ways.
The newer Galaxy S4 phones from Samsung offer this ability. They have an app called WatchON that allows the phone to be used as a universal remote. According to Peel Technologies, the app maker, this app works on all televisions. The app comes preinstalled, so all you have to do is set it up. The app programs itself using your TV’s brand and your cable company information, and by using infrared.
This is really no different than purchasing a universal remote from the local electronics store. However, it will not offer the same usability as the manufacturer remote, or offer what the more advanced universal remotes can. All in all, this is a basic remote that you can use when in a pinch.
Though the above example is only available on the Galaxy S4 phones, there are other apps that are available for most other brands of smart phones. These apps work similarly to the WatchON app. They are usually touch screen and have a limited amount of buttons for use. For a better option, a universal remote will offer much more programmability that a cell phone just cannot match at the moment.