How to make the most of an old iPhone

A new 4-inch iPhone is expected to be announced by Apple on March 21st. For those of you considering upgrading, here are some ideas for putting your current iPhone to good use.

Home Sound System

Even though your old iPhone is probably a few years old, it is still a fantastic device for playing music, podcasts or whatever audio content you prefer. It can connect to streaming services such as Apple Music or Spotify via Wi-Fi, or you can load it up with content from iTunes the old fashion way.

Either way, an old iPhone is perfect for playing audio through a speaker around the house. Keeping it in the garage is a good example because you most likely don't want to handle a newer iPhone with greasy hands while changing your oil.

There are a number of apps in the App Store which can convert your old iPhone into an excellent surveillance camera and motion detector. For example, free app Presence allows you to live stream an area in your home and also provides motion detection. The app even lets you record video clips when motion is detected. You can view the live stream from your new iPhone through the same app.

Universal Remote

If you are like most people, you probably have two to three remotes for your entertainment center. Televisions, sound bars, Blu-ray players and other devices all have their own separate remote. However, many of those devices also have apps that allow you to use an iPhone to control them. Once you’ve downloaded compatible apps, you can use just your old iPhone as a universal remote for those devices.

Kids

If you are a parent, passing an old iPhone down to your kid is arguably the best use for the old device. Chances are, they’ve used your phone to play Candy Crush as much as you have, so why not pass something down that will keep them entertained until at least later this evening.

There are loads of kid friendly apps available in the App Store with options from Sesame Street, Disney and Google even released a YouTube Kids app recently.

Another major benefit from setting up an iPhone specifically for your kid is you no longer have to worry about them running up charges from buying apps or media from iTunes. Under Settings -> General -> Restrictions you can control most aspects of what your kid will be able to access on the iPhone. Once you tap Enable Restrictions, you will be asked to set a restrictions passcode. After it’s set, you can disable a number of apps along with he ability to download new apps and make in app purchases. Once restrictions are all setup, your kid will no longer be able to run up a bill from the aforementioned Candy Crush Saga.

There are many ways to make the most out of an old iPhone rather than selling it for an overly marked down price, or worse leaving it in a drawer to be forgotten, so be creative.