5 Super-Useful Things You Can Do With Your Old iPhone

Santa didn’t just score you an upgrade, he freed your old iPhone to do amazing things

If the plot of Toy Story was about iPhones instead of action figures, you might have some more sympathy for your former handset. Though it was your sidekick over the last couple years, you’re now ready to kick it to the curb in favor of that bigger, better iPhone 6 you just got for the holidays.

But until that dark day, don’t stuff your old friend in a drawer. Put it to work with one of these five great ways to use your old iPhone:

Wall mount it as a smart home controller

With Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and access to all the latest apps, iPhone 5s are still very powerful tiny computers. This in-wall charging dock by Savant Systems can be connected into your home’s electrical system next to a light switch and serve as a permanent smart home controller.

So, if you’ve got app-powered lights, Bluetooth or Airplay music speakers, or other connected devices in your home, anyone from your babysitter to your house guests can access them without asking for your personal iPhone.

Make it a safe space for kids

Touchscreens are like catnip for kid’s fingers.According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should not let children under two watch television or play with your phone. But try arguing that point with a toddler and you’ll lose every time. Fortunately, you can severely limit the amount of things they can play with if you set aside a device specifically for them.

Developed for businesses looking to give their employees iPhones while limiting the things they can do with them, Apple Configurator is a professional level app, but anyone can download it for free. Letting you easily create and install configuration profiles for each phone in your house, you can install authorized apps, filter out certain web content (sorry Sally, no YouTube for you), and even shut off the camera. Though a couple of years old, this post from Ars Technicashows you how to turn your iPhone into an iToy with Apple Configurator.