4 Great Ways To Reuse Old Smartphones

Smartphones are great devices. They allow people to communicate, stay up to date with current events, create and share memories with others and stay entertained wherever they are.

Despite the smartphone’s slew of features, however, there comes a time when one needs to part with them. One of these times is when the device gets old and has to be replaced with a newer, more powerful device capable of meeting the user’s needs. This is what is commonly known as “upgrading.”

While some upgrade to a newer device by trading in older smartphones, some don’t. The older handset ends up getting stashed in a deep drawer or placed inside a box in a room. It ends up unused and forgotten.

But just because it’s old doesn’t mean it’s useless. Here are some great ways to make use of those old smartphones.

A spare phone

Newer smartphones might offer better specs and features than older handsets, but it’s a fact that they are still limited in different ways, especially in terms of battery life.

An old but still usable smartphone can serve as a spare phone during emergencies such as when the new device runs out of battery power or gets misplaced or stolen.

A webcam

Those who work or study from home will be glad to know that they won’t need to spend extra to get a new webcam. An old smartphone can be used as a webcam, provided that the user knows how to set it up. This will also help users save time they would have spent ordering a webcam from retailers online and waiting for it to arrive.

Here’s a guide on how to set up a smartphone for use as a webcam.

An extra media device

Older smartphones can also serve as an extra media storage device where users can keep photos or videos or a standalone music player they can use to listen to music.

Using older devices for these purposes allows users to keep their media or music near without having to take up precious storage space in their new smartphone. Using an older phone to listen to songs will also let users conserve their new handset’s battery.

A gift to others

Those who don’t have any use for their old phone can simply give it away to those who need it. They can give it to a family member, a friend or charitable organizations such as Medic Mobile or Cell Phones for Soldiers, The Verge recommended.