So, you got yourself a new smartphone. Now, the question is: what are you going to do with the old one? Selling or handing it down to someone is always a good bet, but if neither of those are your thing, here are five things you can do to repurpose your former daily driver.
Turn it into a wireless hotspot
Nothing beats a fiber-fast home WiFi connection like PLDT Home Fiber Plus plans. However, there will be instances, especially when you’re outdoors, when you have multiple devices that require Internet access–and the only connection available at your disposal is your mobile data.
This is an opportune time to turn your old smartphone into a wireless hotspot. Just pop in a SIM card and start sharing your mobile data to your other devices.
Make it your dedicated media player
One of the things that use up a lot of power on our smartphone is media playback. It might be a good idea to turn your previous smartphone into a dedicated media player.
You can either use it as you would a primary device by giving it a data-enabled SIM, or you can pre-download the media from your favorite platforms like HBO Go, Viu, and Spotify ahead of time so you can play it offline when you’re out and about.
As a webcam
Depending on how old your previous smartphone is, its camera, particularly the back cameras, can still probably go toe-to-toe with the best webcam in the market. That said, your old smartphone should be a worthy upgrade to your current video conferencing setup.
Apps such as Iriun, DroidCam, and iVCam work over WiFi or USB connectivity to turn your smartphone into a glorified webcam. Just make sure that USB Debugging is enabled on the smartphone and your computer should detect and use it as a webcam.
For users in the Apple ecosystem, you can activate Continuity Camera for your iPhone and Mac, as long as they’re on iOS 16 and Mac OS Ventura, respectively.
For your smart home
If your old smartphone was initially released within this decade, then it’s going to be a nice addition to your existing smart home setup. Here are a few examples of that:
- As a universal smart remote. This is especially helpful if you have an old Android smartphone. Downloading apps such as SURE, Unified Remote, and ASmart Remote IR allow you to use your old handset to stream content to your TV. Alternatively, purchasing this IR remote adapter from Lazada lets you control the rest of your smart home with your old smartphone!
- As a home security camera. Installing apps like IP Webcam on both your old and new smartphone let you access the video feed on your new daily driver.
- As an actual smart home device. If your old handset was a Samsung Galaxy S-series, Note, or Z-series released after 2018, you can use it as a light and sound sensor through the Galaxy Upcycling Program.
Maximize your old tech the smart way
Repurposing your old smartphone is a great way to reduce e-waste and to enhance your smart home. Of course, having a fiber-fast home WiFi connection is a must if you want to get the most out of your smart home. Subscribe to PLDT Home Fiber Plus plans today and find out why it’s the undisputed fastest Internet in the Philippines for five years straight.