8 clever ways you can make good use of your old iPhone

Apple's new iPhone is on its way, which means it's time to start thinking about what to do with your old iPhone once you upgrade. 

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Sure you can sell it or trade it in, but considering there are so many different payment options these days to get the latest iPhone, you may want to try something else with your old device. 

From transforming it into a tracking device to a security system, there's a number of ways to breathe new life into your old smartphone. 

Apple iPhone
Members of the media review the new iPhone 5c during a new product announcement at Apple headquarters on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, in Cupertino, Calif. Apple’s latest iPhones will come in a bevy of colors and two distinct designs, one made of plastic and the other that aims to be “the gold standard of smartphones” and reads your fingerprint. AP/Marcio Jose Sanchez

Here's a look at a few of our favorite ways to put an iPhone 5 or iPhone 6 to use. 

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Convert your old iPhone into a lamp

iPhone lamp
Kwamb

This sleek 3D printed lamp holds your iPhone so that you can use the flashlight feature to light up a room. The lamp is designed so that the bottom of the iPhone remains exposed, so you can keep your iPhone plugged into the wall instead of having to charge it. You can also connect it to Wi-Fi to use it as a speaker to play music from Spotify or other streaming services. 

The lamp currently only fits the iPhone 4/4S and 5/5C, but the Ukraine-based industrial designer Ivan Zhurba said that he is currently working on a version that fits the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models.

You can customize the material and the color of your lamp at Kwamb.io, which is a marketplace for 3D printed goods. Pricing for the lamp starts at $15.

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Use it as a home security camera

Manything
Manything

There are also a selection of apps you can use to turn your old iPhone into a security camera.

For example, you can download for the Manything app that converts your old iPhone or iPad into a video monitoring camera. It includes live streaming, motion alerts, and cloud recording. The app offers free live streaming and motion detection alerts for one camera, but if you want to be able to go back and watch footage, you’ll need to make an in-app purchase for a storage plan.

Pricing plans start at $3.99 a month and increase depending on how many camera you want to connect and how much footage you want to store in the cloud.

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Upgrade your alarm clock

Clocks App
Meanterm

There are a number of apps you can download to turn your iPhone into a beautiful digital clock. Some free apps to consider downloading are The Clocks and Alarm Clock Free.

If you are willing to spend a little money, you can also get an alarm dock, like this one designed by industrial designer Jonas Damon, to showcase the fancy new clock interface. 

 

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Turn your iPhone 6 into a barometer

Barometer app
iTunes

If you are planning to trade in your iPhone 6 for a iPhone 6S, you can use it as a barometer. 

Apple's iPhone 6 models have a barometer sensor built in so you can download an app like Bar-O-Meter  or Thermo-Hygrometer to get a read on things like altitude, air pressure, humidity, and weather.

If you have an iPhone 5S, the Bar-O-Meter app can also display pressure and altitude, but instead of using the sensor, it uses internet services to determine your data. 

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It can double as a sleep tracker and an alarm

Sleep Cycle Girl
SleepCycle.com

For an even more high-tech clock,  you can also download the Sleep Cycle alarm app, which will not only serve as a clock, but also as a sleep tracker.  

The app learns your sleep patterns so that it knows when to wake you up during your lightest sleep phase. To use the app, make sure your phone is connected to WiFi and place it on the bed while you sleep.

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Improve your car's safety with an iPhone dashcam

CamonRoad
CamOnRoad

Outside of the home, your old iPhone can also be pretty useful.

For starters, you can use it as a camera for your car. Apps like CamOnRoad enable users to use their iPhones as dashcams.

Of course, first you will need to install some sort of window mount so that the iPhone can get a good shot of the road ahead.

If you have Wi-Fi in your car or if you are willing to spend some extra money and get a cheap data plan,  you can also use the CamOnRoad app as a GPS video navigation system. This will also allow you to store more via the cloud, as opposed to just your phone.

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Transform it into a handy tracking device

Find my iPhone
Find my iPhone

If you are willing to invest in a cheap data plan or a pay as you go account, you can also use your old iPhone as a vehicle tracker.

All you have to do is download and activate the “Find my iPhone” app  on your old device, place it the vehicle you want to track and then you can view its location via your new iPhone or other on your Mac. 

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Make a new remote for your home

Apple remote
Apple

By connecting your iPhone to Wi-Fi, you can also use your iPhone as a remote for a lot of the devices in your home. 

You can also download the Remote app by Apple to control your Apple TV. It also allows you to control the iTunes library on your Mac the same way you would control it on an iOS device. 

All you have to do is download the app from the App store, set up home sharing in iTunes and then connect your old iPhone to your home WiFi network and sign into Home Sharing. 

 

Apple iPhone Apps
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