If your smartphone’s so old that it’s not good enough to be your daily driver anymore, you can still give it new life as a webcam, dedicated music player, or other different components in your smart home. For Samsung device owners, there’s the improved SmartThings app to repurpose your old gadgets into IoT devices.
In late April, Samsung announced that its Galaxy Upcycling program had been added a new initiative called Galaxy Upcycling at Home. Basically, Samsung provides a software update to repurpose old devices and use their built-in sensors for smart home functions.
You can, for instance, convert your phone into a baby monitor, motion sensor, or ambient light detector. Samsung said in the announcement that the initiative is meant to promote creative solutions for repurposing old electronics and reduce electronic waste.
Right now, the Galaxy Upcycling at Home feature is limited to devices in the S, Note, and Z series released from 2018 or later. It’s also still in beta and limited to US, UK, and Korean users. Samsung says it will support more devices in the future.