What to do with an old iPhone that I no longer use?
My old iPhone 13 is kind if just sitting there, and I was wondering if you have any ideas to use it to do anything cool? Like as a mini display for weather/other kinds of data, any of that stuff. I have a 3D printer, so I could easily print a makeshift mount or stand for it to go on my desk, shelf, whatever.
Donate to a women's shelter. They can still be used in emergencies, even without a SIM card.
sell it?
There are apps that are able to turn old phones into security cameras.
Or a dashcam.
I currently use an iPhone 6s as a WebCam
Have you jailbroken it? I can’t get anything on this device anymore, App Store doesn’t work.
Nope! It's an app called droidcam. Maybe I did it while the App Store still worked cause it was 5 years ago
Oh wait, I was thinking of an even older iPad 2. Can’t do anything with that thing anymore.
Backmarket will buy it from you and resell it. Just bought an iPhone 13 for my 16 year old. Lots of life left in "old" devices
My new phone is a 12.
I have mine attached to my bike and use it as a cycling computer
If you didn’t liked any suggestion above, remind that you can use it as Stream Deck controller or a similar remote controller like that.
Being said, iPhone 13 is still a very, very decent phone. Consider passing it to family’s elders (there’s an ‘old person’ mode on all iDevices). Also StandBy mode is great.
I could give it to a younger sibling once they are old enough to be responsible with a smartphone.
I did not know you could use a phone as a Stream Deck, that's pretty cool :0
Give it to someone in need
It’s a great phone
Factory reset and send to apple for recycling.
Any idea how to do that if it was say your mother in laws, and she doesn't remeber any of the related passwords including icloud?
As in they are locked out of the phone?
Yeah, it's a very old one. Iphone 4. It's been collecting dust for years.
You can still recycle it, but as far as factory resetting it, its probably best to ask Apple directly.
Hammer smash
Lol. Unless you know where to smash, the data is still recoverable. And she is paranoid.
Hmmm.... Microwave? Take the battery out first
wipe it and donate it to someone who needs it.
Remember that old phones with no SIM are still able to call 911. You can use them as emergency call boxes.
You are starting from the wrong side - what do you want to do? Where are the problems in your life? Is there someplace/thing where a small screen or camera would help if only you had it? Lights/devices you want to control from a location where this is no switch?
I put a weather station on my home assistant dashboard - but it turns it is never the forecast I need so I google the weather anyway. So from my experience the mini weather isn't worth it. (I do use my dashboard for other things worth it, but it is a 20 inch monitor visible). Reports are other people in the world have and love their weather station display, ymmv.
Don't forget to ask your family/roomates. They may have an issue that you don't see.
I checked my stash of old phones a few months ago, none of them would even boot. I just put them back on the shelf, I suppose they'll be there till I die.
sell it maybe? 13 is still pretty recent. and iphones are hard to tinker with, like that one is very likely not even jailbreakable
If you've got any ideas, there are tons of resources and writeups here to help realize them! If not I suggest getting it to someone who needs a phone.
If you stick it on its side, charging, it will run what’s called Standby mode (might need newer iOS version than 13). You can have widgets, clocks, etc. it’s cool overall, and I create a couple widgets so during the day I get some nice information while my phone is charging on my desk.
There was/is a shortcuts client/server app where it would run things periodically for you
But as others have said - women’s shelter, sell it, etc.
Try Swappa.
airgapped 2FA
I have a graveyard bin of old cellphones going back to flip phones and the Nokia tank