How tall is that wall? Lowe's has a measuring app for that

Lowe's Cos. wants customers to drop the tape measure and pick up an iPhone instead.

The home improvement retailer launched an app Monday that lets users measure walls, sofas or any other object they want with their iPhone. The app, called Measured by Lowe's, uses the smartphone's camera to measure items in a room. Measurements can be saved for later or shared on social media. The app uses augmented reality technology that was recently made available to some iPhones.

Other retailers have also tapped into augmented reality. Online furniture seller Wayfair, for example, added a function in its app last week that lets shoppers see how Wayfair's sofas, lamps or other items look in their room using an iPhone or iPad.