Level- Review

The iOS Level app is a convenient tool that lets you measure the level of tilt in the horizontal and vertical planes or axes, without the need for dedicated equipment.

Interface

The design rates at a 9/10 for simplicity, with its dark background and glowing green 1D level meters. The illuminated display is convenient, especially when you are working in an area with a lot of light which might give you viewing problems. The levels consist of a straight vertical and horizontal staff with illuminated bubbles inside.

Features

I’ll give the app a rating of 6/10 for its functionality. It is simple enough that anybody can use it by just viewing the tilt of the bubble on the screen. However, it isn’t sophisticated enough to show you the actual value of inclination from the vertical or horizontal axes. You can’t calculate angles, slopes or pitches, and thus you won’t be able to use this in a situation where you need an actual mathematical reading. You also won’t be able to get a simultaneous XY reading like in most sophisticated apps. A calibration option would also be helpful. There are no settings included in the app, and this adds to the simplicity of the design.

The Level app is free to download, and there are also no in-app purchases. The app is only compatible with iOS devices (iPhone, iPad or iPod touch) running iOS 4.2 or later. Unfortunately, there isn’t an Android version of it.

Performance

The app rates at a 6/10 solely for its simplicity. There is no superfluity in the design, and there are no unnecessary controls. However, there should be much more in the UI such as the possibility to view the tilt on both axes or combined XY axes. There is no option for calibrating the app, which would have proved really useful for the app.

The app is accurate enough, probably because of the iPhone’s inbuilt accelerometer. You won’t get any unnecessary updates with this Verdict

The Verdict 

It’s a really simple app, though I wouldn’t call it the leading level app. However, it’s good enough for any user that doesn’t need actual readings of the pitch, tilt, gradient or inclinations. The latest version only requires iOS 4.2 or later which is compatible with most iOS devices, even the older ones.

There’s no superfluity in the design, which is why I personally liked it a lot. Anybody can use the app; anybody with an Apple device, that is. You can’t get it on Android, which is a big drawback.

I’d recommend the app to anyone who’s just looking for fun or needs to check levels without having to carry a separate device with them.