Over the years, phones have become smarter than we could have ever imagined. Earlier, people got amazed just by the idea of the technology of talking to someone who stays far away from them. But now their phones have turned into a small supercomputer, which can do anything for them. From weather checks to gaming sessions to intricate office work, they only have to perform a few clicks, and their job would be done. Also, soon, with the developments that are going on, they will just have to speak, and the phone will handle everything for them. Technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning had made all this possible. However, the only drawback in all this scenario is the up-gradation of smartphones. As the changes are majorly made with the hardware, people need to change their phones every now and then. Only then can they match the latest technologies in the market. With this, another problem arises, i.e., what to do with the old smartphone?
People have to upgrade their smartphones in every few years because of the following reasons:
- Get Latest Technology: Smartphone technology has been changing at a fast pace. And the competition that goes on between brands pushes them to bring more innovative devices every day. These new technologies are not only exciting, but they also make people’s work easy. So to make their smartphones smarter and more useful, people need to upgrade it.
- Old Smartphone Becomes Unproductive: Another reason people upgrade their smartphones is that their old one becomes unproductive with time. They start encountering issues like low battery life, slow performance, filled up storage, etc.
But whatever might be the reason, upgradation is a must. That brings us again to our question, what to do with the old smartphone? Most people either throw their old phones, or it just keeps on lying in their house, uselessly. For people who have a similar case, we have here bought a solution for them.
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Top 5 Old Smartphone Uses
Smartphones are not cheap. So throwing one after every few years might break people’s hearts. Not to worry, here we have compiled the five most interesting uses of old smartphones. So let’s see how people can turn their old phones again into a useful device.
#1 Security Purpose
Security is a big concern in today’s time. Along with digital security, people also need to secure their houses to avoid anyone getting in. For the same, they install several cameras in their homes to keep track of what happens in the house when they are not around. Their concern increases if they have a toddler who is left with a caretaker at home. Here are the two cool ways in which people can relax their concern about security with their old smartphones:
- Security Camera: It would be wrong to say that an old smartphone can replace a full-fledged home security system. However, it can be an excellent alternative to a security camera. People only need to install a security app on their old smartphone that will stream video to their new one, and they are good to go.
- Baby Monitor: The security camera will work to secure the baby as well. But new parents cannot keep looking at the streaming video. For their help, there are several baby monitoring apps they can use. The app will alarm them when it notices any baby activity. So they can easily keep a check on their toddler without looking continuously at the streaming video.
#2 Dedicated VR Set
Virtual Reality or VR is the latest technology that can be used for both learning and fun purposes. But connecting the VR headset every time with a phone can create a hassle. Also, people will get disturbed if they receive a call while they are using the VR headset. To make their lives easier, they can dedicate their old smartphone to a VR headset. This will have multiple benefits. One, they won’t get disturbed every time their phone rings for a call or a message. Two, they won’t have to connect and disconnect their phone, again and again, every day.
In addition to this, VR headsets are not expensive. Even if people look for some top-end features, it won’t cost them much. So it is a great option to go for.
#3 Gaming Or Video Chatting
Games and video chats have become two of the primary activities done on a smartphone. However, continuous calls or messages can interrupt the experience and irritate the person. To avoid this, people can dedicate their old smartphones for gaming or video calling. This will have another benefit, i.e., they can handover the devices to their children without worrying about them calling or messaging someone.
#4 A Smart Home Device
These devices are called “Smart” for a reason. It can fulfill any requirement of a person that they need from an electronic device. So it can be converted into a smart home device. By doing so, people can use their old smartphones for the following purposes:
- Universal Remote Control: Some apps can quickly convert a smartphone into a universal remote control. So people can install it and control all their electronic devices with their old smartphone.
- Alarm Or Radio: People can put their old smartphone on the side table of their bed, and turn it into a permanent radio or alarm system.
There are several other ways in which people can use these phones for interesting home purposes.
#5 Backup Device
Last but not least, old smartphones can be used as a great backup device. Everyone knows how vulnerable smartphones have become nowadays. So they can turn their old ones into a backup device, and keep their data safe in case the new one loses it. Also, they can easily keep the old one for going to places where there is a risk of spoiling the phone. For example, they can keep it for the beach or pool trips.
Conclusion
Throwing off an old smartphone is not a smart idea, especially when there can be a lot done with it. With these incredible ideas, people can easily turn their old phones into intelligent devices. However, the phone must be in a working condition for these uses. If it is not, then they can give up their phone for recycling instead of throwing it into the garbage.