Have you recently upgraded your iPhone and are wondering what to do with your old phone? I upgraded my iPhone to a newer version and threw my old one back in the box and put it in storage. I was going to sell it online but after a few outings where my battery died from streaming music I thought there has to be a use for my old phone that I am missing.
It all boils down to battery use and how to double your battery life by using your old phone for a few common tasks when away from a charge. If you can conserve the battery on your main phone by using up the battery on your old phone you are one step ahead of the game. This will become clearer in a moment.
1. Music/Media Server – I like to listen to music while on the golf course. I use my phone to pair to a portable radio and either stream my music or from a radio app. This is a killer on the battery. Why not use your old phone to spin your tunes and save the battery on your main phone? You can use your old phone to stream your music library at parties, bbq’s. Wherever you want to save the battery on your main phone. Without all of those photos, texts and apps you can squeeze alot of music onto you old phone. You can basically use it as an iPod.
2. Universal Remote – I have a Harmony Smarthub and the remote went on the fritz recently. I have using my current phone as my remote by downloading their app but was having to constantly charge my phone. I was ruining my good battery using my phone as the remote. I simply started using my old phone as my new universal remote because I could care less about the battery. There are a number of universal and generic remote apps out there. I am betting you will be able to find one for your television, media box or video game console.
3. Kids Gaming – A friend of mine was replacing the glass on his phone every couple of months because his kids were using his phone for games and treating it like kids do. Why not let them have at your old iPhone? You will probably want to make sure its still in it’s case but if they break it, well at least they have broken your brand new phone. On the flip side maybe you want to load your own games on it and play on them while on the Subway and save your battery.
4. Home Security Camera – This is the coolest thing I have done with my old phone. By downloading an app such as Manything or Presence you can turn your old phone into a home security camera. I tested out Manything this past weekend and used it to see what my dogs were up to when we were out for the evening. It worked out flawlessly. I was able to access my old phone from the restaurant and see what was going on back at home. The video was crisp and the audio was pretty decent as well.
5. GPS Device – Did you know that Google will allow you to download map areas and then access with no internet connection? We have used this several times and it has saved our bacon. I was attending a hockey game in Buffalo over the winter and we got lost. I had a map of Buffalo downloaded so I was able to use it to find our way to the hotel with no internet connection. We also used this feature on a recent trip to the Hoover Dam and sight seeing in the area. Why not use your old phone as a GPS Device. Just remember to download your maps before your trip.
These are just a few suggestions on what to do with an old iPhone. It’s up to your imagination. Any task you use your phone for but want to conserve battery life can you use your old one for. I used the iPhone as an example because that is what I have. You can do the same with an Android phone.
