Mystery Phone Gadget - Can You Identify It?

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The discussion centers around identifying a mysterious accessory resembling a mini domed camera or glass bead, which connects to an iPhone's earphone port. Users speculate that it could be a telephone handset pickup microphone designed to record phone conversations, or possibly a temperature sensor. The presence of a stereo plug suggests it might be an audio device, likely functioning as a microphone. Suggestions include testing the device by connecting it to a computer's microphone input to check for audio signals. There is also mention of its potential use with older acoustic modems that lacked speakers. Overall, the accessory's exact purpose remains uncertain, with various theories presented based on its design and connection type.
EnumaElish
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Does anyone happen to recognize the phone or pc accessory displayed in the attached pics? It looks like a mini domed-camera or a glass bead, tethered to a cord. On its flat side there's a peel-off sticker, like a piece of two-sided tape, to mount the thing on a flat surface. The cord plugs into an iphone's earphone port, but I don't know what it does, if anything. Thanks for any & all responses.
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P.S. Yes, I am alive. Glad you are, too, old timers :)
 
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telephone handset pickup mic to record phone conversations.
 
jedishrfu said:
telephone handset pickup mic to record phone conversations.
How would you mount that though? Stick it to the back of the phone?
 
Decades ago, a device like that could be also be stuck on a specific spot on an acoustic modem that didn't have a speaker, in order to be able to hear the modem sounds.
 
Are you sure it is a PC/phone accessory? Looks like a temperature sensor to me. It's a bad pic, so I don't see if it has a hole in it (without one would preclude it from being a mic).

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The OP picture looks to have what looks like a 1/8 inch stereo plug. The fact that it's stereo is evidence that it might be an audio device, such as some sort of microphone, as others have suggested (even if it is effectively a mono source, it might have a stereo plug to be compatible with stereo, audio jacks).

You might be able to test this out with your computer's Mic-in or Audio-in jacks. Plug it in, enable the input (this might require opening up your computer's sound control and choosing what to use for audio input*), speak or blow into the thing and see if you get a signal.

*(For MS Windows, this is usually something like Control Panel / Hardware and Sound / Sound, then select your default recording device.)
 
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You know I saw that before but I couldn't recall where and then the audio jack kept me thinking old phone mic.

That make sense now. Good catch.
 

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