What Should You Do With Your Old Smartphone?
Do you like to keep up to date with the very latest in smartphone technology?
Well, you’re not alone. Every year, over 200 million people will buy the newest Apple iPhone on the market.
Smartphone technology has been with us for over a decade now, and in that time it has come on in leaps and bounds. Every new model that comes out is slicker, faster, and has more storage. Improvements in screen resolution make it possible to watch videos in 4K. Added features such as fingerprint scanning make protecting your smartphone much easier.
With many smartphone contracts geared around customers changing their phones every couple of years, why would you not want to keep up with the latest technology trends when you can afford to?
Whenever you buy a new smartphone, you are generating waste. Old technology has a negative impact on the environment, and we all need to do our bit to reduce our carbon footprint. Considering what happens to your phone when you no longer need it is important.
But what do you do when your old phone is no longer needed? Here are some suggestions.
Sell It
One of the most obvious things that you can do with your used smartphone is to sell it when you no longer need it.
There are plenty of online selling groups on social media or websites that you can list your phone and directly sell it.
But the downsides to this type of selling is that it can take some time and you are not guaranteed to make the sale.
One of the quickest ways of getting guaranteed money for your old phone is to find a company that you can sell your iPhone to.
The amount that you get for your old phone will depend on the make, model, amount of storage, and the condition of the device.
Donate It
If you no longer need your old phone, why not donate it to someone that does need it?
You may not need the money from the sale as much as someone else will need a free phone.
There are plenty of organizations that will take your old mobile phone, refurbish it, and give it to those in need.
Your phone may go to a developing country, or it could go to someone who is in most need of this country.
Think about causes that mean something to you. Maybe you want to help the homeless or want to help people in war-torn countries regain a semblance of normality by allowing them to communicate with their loved ones. Many charities have the facilities to take phones and use them to help others.
Even donating your phone to a charity store will allow those in need to benefit from your unwanted device.
Pass It On To A Family Member
So, keeping up on all of the latest developments in the tech industry may be important to you, and this may mean having the best smartphone. But for others in your family, this might not be a priority.
When you have finished with your phone, you could pass it on to someone that you are close to.
Be sure you do the following to your old phone before you hand it over to anyone:
*Move any photos, videos, files, or messages that are stored on your phone that you’d like to keep. Sometimes this can be done using wireless transfer between your old device and the new one. Alternatively, upload all of the content you plan to keep to a cloud-based storage app.
*Carry out a full factory reset to ensure the new owner has an empty phone that will run smoothly. By doing this, all of your stored passwords will be erased meaning your identity will be protected.
Find A New Use For Your Old Phone
There are lots of great reasons for you to keep your old phone. If you have a bit of technical know-how, you could turn your device into:
*A trackpad for your laptop
*A smart remote control
*Use it as a security camera
*Make it into a digital photo frame
*Make it into a command centre for your car – powering your maps and entertainment
Don’t Let It Go To Waste
Before you throw your old phone away or put it away in a drawer to never be seen again, think about whether it could be used to make someone else’s life better. Could you make some much-needed money from selling it? Don’t just let it go to waste.
