Windows Phone namespaces

Microsoft.Devices.Sensors

Microsoft.Devices.Sensors is a namespace in the Windows Phone platform that provides an API for accessing device sensors. This namespace was primarily designed for developing applications for the Windows Phone 7.x and 8.x operating systems.

Functions of Microsoft.Devices.Sensors

The API allows developers to access various sensors on a mobile device, such as:

1. Accelerometer:
   • Measures the acceleration of the device along all three axes (X, Y, Z).
   • Can be used for detecting device orientation, motion gestures, or game development.
2. Gyroscope:
   • Measures angular velocity (device rotation around the X, Y, and Z axes).
   • Used for more precise rotation detection, such as in navigation or gaming.
3. Compass (Magnetometer):
   • Detects the Earth's magnetic field and can determine the device's direction relative to the north.
   • Used in map creation or augmented reality (AR) applications.
4. Acceleration and Motion Data:
   • A combination of sensors providing complex data on device movement and orientation.

Code Example: Accelerometer

using Microsoft.Devices.Sensors;
using System;

namespace SensorExample
{
    public class AccelerometerExample
    {
        private Accelerometer accelerometer;

        public AccelerometerExample()
        {
            accelerometer = new Accelerometer();
            accelerometer.CurrentValueChanged += Accelerometer_CurrentValueChanged;
            accelerometer.Start();
        }

        private void Accelerometer_CurrentValueChanged(object sender, SensorReadingEventArgs<AccelerometerReading> e)
        {
            var acceleration = e.SensorReading.Acceleration;
            Console.WriteLine($"X: {acceleration.X}, Y: {acceleration.Y}, Z: {acceleration.Z}");
        }
    }
}

Status as of 2025

This namespace and its API are deprecated and were used only for Windows Phone applications. With the end of support for Windows Phone (in 2017), the use of this namespace is limited. Modern mobile application development now focuses on other platforms, such as Xamarin, .NET MAUI, or native app development for iOS and Android, where similar APIs are available.

For newer development, it is recommended to use current frameworks and libraries that provide support for working with sensors on modern devices.