Samsung Galaxy Upcycling scheme turns old phones into smart home devices
If you’ve got an old Samsung smartphone lying around that you don’t use anymore you might be able to give it a new lease of life thanks to the Samsung Galaxy Upcycling Programme, writes USwitch.com.
Recent research has shown that UK homes have billions of pounds worth of unwanted gadgets gathering dust. Now Samsung has given its customers a way of getting more out of their old Galaxy smartphones.
The Galaxy Upcycling at Home scheme turns old smartphones into smart home devices, like childcare monitors. All it takes is a quick software update installation, so you don’t even need to send your phone off.
Your old Samsung smartphones have light and sound sensors in them that are repurposed by the software update, and this is how they are transformed into essentially new devices.
All you need is the SmartThings app, where you’ll find the update. Once downloaded, improved AI in the update will make your old smartphone more able to accurately make out sounds, such as a child crying, a knock on the door, or your dog barking. You’ll then get a notification to the smartphone you’re currently using to let you know that there’s something that needs your attention, as well as a recording of the noise that you can listen to.
You’ll also be able to use your newly-converted smart home device to connect to other Samsung SmartThings products, such as smart TVs and smart lighting. You can even use it to set specific brightness levels for rooms, and then turn on smart lights if it gets too dark.
These new features will require the device to be on for lengthy periods. So the Galaxy Upcycle at Home upgrade also optimises the phone’s battery, meaning you won’t have to constantly charge it.
Says Jaeyeon Jung, VP & Head of the Samsung SmartThings team:
“Smart home devices are a fast-growing trend for consumer electronics, and we believe that Galaxy devices currently not in use can play an important role in turning every home into a smart home.
“The programme transforms Galaxy devices into SmartThings devices and demonstrates the power of our intelligent IoT platform to broaden the possibilities of what users can do with their old phones. ”
