Your old Phone doesn’t become useless as soon as you get a new one. Don’t just throw it in a drawer—you can sell it, recycle it, or turn it into something cool!
You should consider selling your old iPhone even if you don’t generally sell your old devices. They hold their value far better than their Android counterparts. An ancient iPhone is a wonderful choice for many users because of the appeal of the Apple ecosystem, its strong build, and Apple’s continuous dedication to aged devices through iOS upgrades.
You might also gift your old Phone to a friend or family who you believe would benefit from it. You have the potential to make their entire week! Simply back up your data before erasing everything under Settings > General > Reset.
For youngsters and teens, an outdated iPhone makes a great first or second smartphone. If you take it this way, don’t forget to set up the parental control software Screen Time.
Consider recycling your old iPhone if it isn’t working properly. You might also put it up for sale on eBay. Someone looking to scrap it for spare components could buy it, but if it isn’t working, you won’t get much money.
Apple will take your old iPhones and give you Apple Store credit for them if you use the Apple Trade-In programme. You may either send it in or drop it off at your nearest Apple shop, or you can bring it to us at EK wireless for the best quotes.
If none of these suggestions appeals to you, there are a variety of different options for repurposing your old Phone.
When you install unlawful third-party software on a gadget, you’ve “jailbroken” it. When you apply this to an iOS device, it removes several of Apple’s limitations. This means you can install apps from anywhere (not just the App Store), and it profoundly alters how iOS functions.
In August 2019, hackers produced a full jailbreak for iOS 12.4 (and a partial jailbreak for 12.4.1). You may download firmware to install it using iTunes or go to unc0ver or TAIG9 to install it straight on your device via Safari.
“However, why not just jailbreak your regular phone?” I can hear you sobbing. The fact is that jailbreaking has a lot of disadvantages. To preserve your jailbreak, you must use the same version of iOS, which isn’t ideal from a security standpoint. Additionally, jailbreaking disables all of Apple’s security features.
Furthermore, several apps (especially security-related apps like banking or mobile payment processors) are incompatible with jailbroken devices. You’ll be at the mercy of the jailbreaking community, which tries to crack each new iOS version, albeit with varying degrees of success. Prior to iOS 12.4, the most recent significant public jailbreak release was iOS 9.
If you don’t use your jailbroken old Phone for anything crucial, you can reduce your risks. You don’t have to use your primary Apple ID or take it everywhere. Installing modifications and changing everything from the charging animation to how the iPhone handles alerts may be entertaining if you’ve been using a vanilla iPhone for a long time.
Even ancient iPhones are capable of playing a few games. If you’re worried about your main smartphone running out of energy, having a second one devoted to gaming isn’t a terrible idea. If you’re a parent, having an iPhone filled with diversions to pull out whenever you need it can come in handy.
It’s a good idea to have a dedicated gadget to play games, even if it’s a few years old. Apple Arcade is a new premium gaming membership service that will include more than 100 new and unique titles. It will be available following the release of iOS 13, which includes native support for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 controllers.
Existing iOS-compatible controllers may also be purchased. The Gamevice ($79.95) transforms your iPhone into something that looks a little like a Nintendo Switch. The Steelseries Nimbus ($59.99) is a wireless controller that looks like any other (and it works with the Apple TV too). The Steelseries SmartGrip ($9.99) may be added for an all-in-one gaming experience comparable to the Nvidia Shield.
The amount of games that accept controllers is already amazing, but following the introduction of iOS 13 and Apple Arcade, anticipate that number to rise even more. Here are a few games you can play with a controller right now:
You can also download the Steam Link app for iOS and play your Steam library on your iPhone, with full controller support. Check out more iOS games with controller support at Controller.wtf.
The fact that your iPhone is also a smartphone is the worst part about using it as a GPS. Not only does the battery deplete twice as quickly, but receiving a call while travelling an unknown region causes your iPhone to suspend its GPS functions.
So why not turn your extra iPhone into a specialised GPS device? Many programmes, such as Apple Maps, Google Maps, and MAPS.me, allow you to navigate offline. Apple Maps allows you to download route information to use offline. Connect to the internet, search for the route you wish to travel, then touch or click “Go.”
Your device should now remember your path even if you aren’t connected to the internet (even if you kill them). However, you must reconnect to the internet in order to design a new route. Tethering your old iPhone to your new one is one way to accomplish this when you’re out and about. To share your cellular connection, go to Settings > Personal Hotspot.
Google Maps is more helpful than Apple Maps since you can download entire locations and utilise them offline. To do so, open the Google Maps app and then go to the main menu and select Offline Maps. You may search for facilities or plan trips offline after downloading a map of the region.
Finally, there’s MAPS.me, which makes use of OpenStreetMaps’ open-source data. This programme allows you to download large regions to use offline, with complete navigation and search capabilities. Depending on the degree of data available from OSM for your location, this may be the only app that will satisfy if you hike. MAPS.me, on the other hand, isn’t a complete substitute for a dedicated hiking GPS.
You can operate your numerous HomeKit-compliant smart home gadgets with Apple’s Home app. Why not utilise your old iPhone as a single “terminal” that the whole family may use? You may use the gadget to dim the lights or alter the temperature as it charges in a cradle or on a wireless charging pad.
You may also use your old iPhone as an Apple TV remote control. To link the remote with your Apple TV, go to Settings > Remote. An iPhone is superior to a regular remote in many respects since it allows you to input text using a virtual keyboard. It certainly beats paying Apple $59 to replace your Siri Remote if you lose it.
The iPhone features a large number of music-making applications. Dedicated audio workstations, such as GarageBand, simple-to-use tools, such as Auxy, and dedicated software instruments and guitar processors, such as Animoog or STARK, are examples. TouchOSC may also be used to make a bespoke touch screen MIDI controller.
As a specialised amplifier simulator or synthesiser linked to a MIDI keyboard, a spare iPhone may fit neatly into your music-making process. You also won’t have to worry about missed calls or loading up the internal memory with anything besides your favourite creative applications.
With the correct tools and software, you’ll be surprised at how much fun and easy it is to make music on iOS.
You may also use your old iPhone as an iPod or a music device that streams music. Even a 16 GB iPhone can carry a significant portion of your music collection. You may use iTunes to transfer music files or use streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify to sync music. In this manner, you may load up your entire gadget with music to listen to offline without interfering with your main mobile device.
Use VLC for Mobile to fill your smartphone with movies or TV series to view during your commute or flight if you don’t mind the small screen. VLC allows you to drag and drop files from a browser onto your device. Download the app, then go to the main menu and activate the web interface.
An outdated iPhone may also be used as a security camera. You may use a variety of programmes to live broadcast your camera or store footage to the cloud for later viewing. You’ll need to place the iPhone somewhere acceptable and power it with a Lightning wire for this to function.
AtHome, Presence, and Manything are some of the apps that may help you achieve this. Because these are premium items, you may need to subscribe to get the most out of them. They do, however, include features like automated movement detection (with AI that distinguishes humans from shadows), two-way communication with a linked camera, and the ability to watch numerous cameras at once.
You can also make security cameras out of old Android phones.
Thanks to free apps like EpocCam, the iPhone makes an excellent camera. Install the companion app from Kinoni for Windows or Mac once you’ve downloaded the app on your iPhone. Connect through a Lightning cable or wirelessly via a local network.
Webcams are becoming obsolete as most smartphones already have built-in cameras. With EpocCam, however, you may broadcast from your PC from anywhere within your Wi-Fi network’s range. You’ll never purchase another webcam.
While an iPad is more suited to serving as a kitchen helper, an iPhone may still be useful on the counter. You can charge it and attach it on a flexible mount so you can view cooking videos and simply follow recipes you find online.
When your hands are busy or muddy, you can even ask Siri to convert measures or confirm ingredient replacements.
You never know when you’ll require a backup phone. It’s useful to have a backup device in case one of your family members loses or breaks his main gadget. If you have guests from other countries on occasion, you may put an inexpensive prepaid SIM in your old iPhone and let them use it throughout their stay.
If you plan to keep your iPhone for a long time, Apple’s Maximizing Battery Life and Lifespan guidelines are a fantastic place to start. Charge the iPhone to about 50% capacity, then turn it off and store it.
How to backup an iPhone using iTunes?
How to back up an iPhone using Mac?
What is iCloud and how do I use it?
A Guide to Factory Reset in iPhone:
Here is a guide to use ChatGPT on iPhone:
How to use ChatGPT on Android Device
3 usually undiscovered features on Apple’s iPhone 14
What are passkeys and how to use them?
How to use iMessage on Windows using Phone Link
How to add Dynamic Island to your Android phone