Finally a flashlight app that works: Flashlight +

Before the iPhone 4 came out the App Store was chock full of various flashlight apps for iPhone and iPod Touch. Each one claimed to have some unique feature, making it better than all the rest, but in truth, they were all pretty useless. This was mostly down to one thing. They all rely on your device’s screen to provide the illumination. I tried a few of them, as I often go to bed after my wife, I need to find my way around without switching on the main light. So, I tried them, and quite frankly you get as much light from just taking your iPhone off standby, or loading up a web page. Why pay up to a dollar for an app that does nothing different to what your display can already do? Utterly pointless. Plus I could have had better light if I’d just bleached my teeth and smiled widely.

If you can't use this, you shouldn't have a phone...

With the iPhone 4 came the LED flash on the rear, and then the dawn of the first actually useful flashlight app. ‘Flashlight +’ has been on my phone for weeks now, and has saved me on many an occasion. The software links with the LED on your iPh4 and switches it on, or off with the touch of a large, unmissable virtual switch on your Retina display. If that’s not enough for you, then it also has a strobe function with an on-screen fader to increase or decrease speed. It’s also a handy app in the unlikely event of an emergency, or getting lost at night. It’s third function S-O-S, flashes the appropriate Morse code to alert anyone nearby that you are in peril.

The app costs 99 cents and is available on iTunes (link here). It’s compatible with iPhone 4 and the 4th generation iPod Touch. (NOTE: As readers pointed out, the iPod Touch 4G doesn’t have an LED flash. Curious why this is listed though. Any guesses?)

Personally, I think this app is well worth it. The light is bright, and ridiculously easy to use. Give it a go and let me know what you think below.