Key Takeaways
- If you’ve got an old iPhone lying around, now’s the time to breathe new life into it.
- Old iPhones can be repurposed in a variety of ways, such as by turning them into dashboard displays or even modern iPods.
- Pairing your old iPhone with a controller, mount, or tripod opens up a whole host of new use cases and possibilities.
If, like most people, you’ve upgraded to a new iPhone within the last few years, there’s a very good chance you’ve got your old device sitting around unused in a drawer somewhere.
If you choose not to resell or trade in your old iPhone when you buy a shiny new iPhone 15, there’s no reason to let your old device exist as an expensive, permanent paperweight.
Instead, consider breathing new life into your iPhone as a useful complementary device in your broader technology environment. There are tons of potential use cases for older-generation iPhones; here are five to consider if you haven’t already.
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1 Turn your old iPhone into a dedicated dashboard display
This is free display space you should take advantage of
Isaac Mehigan/Unsplash
If you drive an older generation car that doesn’t have Apple CarPlay or a comparable in-car entertainment system, repurposing your old iPhone as a dashboard display is a great idea.
All you need is an inexpensive car mount and you’re set up, from which you can access all of the navigation and music playback features you’d expect from a modern car dashboard, all while keeping your eyes on the road and avoiding distractions.
Alternatively, if you want a bit more peace of mind while driving, you could use an old iPhone as a dashcam – downloading an app like Driver will allow you to emulate the same experience as using dedicated hardware to do the same task.
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2 Use your old iPhone as a security camera
Use the built-in camera on your old iPhone
As with dash cams, you could spend money on a dedicated home security camera, but you could also use an old iPhone to perform the task. There are a number of applications on the App Store that can turn a secondary device into a full-featured camera feed, such as the popular Alfred solution.
Download the appropriate software onto both iPhone models, get a basic mount or tripod to prop up your camera phone in the right orientation, and you’ll have a security camera solution that’s no different from a dedicated setup.
Sure, you won’t get all the bells and whistles that come with expensive, high-end security systems, but you’ll save hundreds of dollars in the process and get more out of the hardware you already own.
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3 Turn your old iPhone into a handheld gaming console
Save your primary iPhone’s battery life for your smartphone essentials
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iPhones have become so powerful that even older generation models pack a lot of processing power, and whether you like playing mobile games, streaming the latest AAA releases, or reliving the past through emulation, having a dedicated device can be a huge quality of life improvement.
We all know how much gaming can drain battery life and storage space, but running out of juice on your primary communications device is less than ideal. Converting an old iPhone into a dedicated gaming handheld solves this problem.
For an authentic look and feel, consider connecting to a Bluetooth controller or purchasing a snap-on mobile solution like the Razer Kishi Ultra, which gives you the luxury of physical buttons and a tactile sense of control during your gaming sessions.
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Four Turn your old iPhone into a smart home display
If you’re investing in smart home products, a dedicated control panel hub can be extremely helpful in your setup.
While you might be able to use your primary iPhone to control your smart lights or show the weather in a pinch, nothing beats the convenience of incorporating a purpose-built smart display into your setup.
To take on this role, you can buy a Google Nest or Amazon Echo device, or assign an old iPhone to the task – if you choose the latter, you’ll have the benefit of a fully-fledged mobile operating system rather than the somewhat limited capabilities of most dedicated smart displays.
If you’re upgrading from an iPhone 12 series or newer, propping up your old device using a MagSafe or Qi2 inductive charging stand will activate standby mode and provide smart, at-a-glance insights throughout the day.
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Five Turn your old iPhone into a modern MP3 player
Rekindle the glory days of the iPod and take streaming service code out of the process
The iPhone is truly a modern marvel, inherently capable of replacing most single-purpose devices, including Apple’s discontinued iPod line. Still, it makes sense to have a dedicated product that excels at a single task, and the venerable MP3 player is a perfect example of this.
There are lots of reasons why you might want to repurpose your old iPhone as a music player: you want to be free of distractions while listening to music, you want to cut down on your streaming service usage, or you’re worried about damaging your new iPhone during an intense run.
Regardless of which category it falls into, your old iPhone will still function perfectly well as a modern MP3 player, and if you’ve still got a library of downloaded songs and albums stored on your hard drive, why not transfer them over to your old phone and enjoy an acoustic trip down memory lane.
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