If you have a forgotten iPhone out there, regardless of how old it is, you should know that there are different possibilities so that it does not stay in the drawer forever. Whether it is to give it a new life, get economic returns from it or any of the other possibilities that we will discuss in this article.
Use it like an iPod
Nowadays it is usual to always listen to music from our iPhone, without depending on external devices such as MP3, MP4 or the classic iPod. However you can find many advantages of using another device for it. The first of these is to save battery power , since the consumption of playing this content can be subtly noticed on your iPhone, even more so if you are playing music in streaming. The other reason is saving space in case you get used to downloading these songs to your terminal to listen to them without having an internet connection.
This is where your old iPhone comes into play, which can be renamed an iPod touch. If it’s still functional, you won’t need to have the latest advances in mobile technology to enjoy listening to music. The fact that it has WiFi could serve to enjoy multimedia content at home or other places, and you can even share mobile data from your iPhone to it to keep you connected. In this also there will be no space and battery problems, since you would be dedicating it only to these functions and therefore it will be less problematic for you to run out of battery or for songs to take up space.
For this it is recommended to restore the iPhone and set it as new, without the need to synchronize data such as photos, since these could occupy the space that you will later use for music. Even if you have an iPhone 4, despite being obsolete, it is still an excellent terminal for the use we recommend. In fact, phones of this size are more comfortable for it, which may be difficult if your old smartphone is an iPhone 6 Plus or similar.
Save it for emergencies
Setbacks, living up to their meaning, are impossible to predict and therefore the situation may arise that at any given moment your current mobile phone stops working and requires repair. Although there are some processes that, in the case of the iPhone, can be solved in the same day with technical support, the truth is that there are times that this takes considerably. As we understand that today it is difficult to live without a mobile phone, perhaps your old iPhone can serve you in these cases. You will surely have a lower experience than your current device, but it will save you from being isolated while it is under repair. In the same way, it can be used for other members of the household who live with you and at a given moment their mobile phone breaks.
Collect it
If you are a fan of Apple, of technology in general or have a special affection for your old iPhone, it may be a good idea to keep it in collection mode. Regardless of whether it’s functional, up-to-date, or has a faulty part, the sentimental value of the product could be higher than any money you could be paid for it. If you currently have the device in a stored drawer, it would be a good idea to take it out and display it on a shelf or place that you reserve for it. If you also usually buy products of this type more or less frequently, you could set up a small museum to show off with your visits.
If it doesn’t work, recycle it
If your iPhone has stopped working and you think it is not worth it to repair it or keep it as a collection, it is likely that the best option is to recycle it. It will also not matter the level of awareness with the environment you have, since for practical purposes you will be benefiting by removing from the middle what for you is a hindrance for not taking advantage of it. There are many places where you can carry out this process, such as in a clean point, but there are also specialized electronics stores that offer this service and there is even the possibility that you will receive money for your old iPhone .
Of course, if the phone is old enough, the possibilities of obtaining economic revenue are considerably reduced. For this reason, the option of simply recycling it is the only option in this case. For this Apple has a recycling program that you can find on its website or by visiting an Apple Store. In any case, do not take for granted that you do not receive money in exchange because it may still serve to amortize the payment of a new terminal, as we will see in the next point.
Give it to get a discount on a new iPhone
Buying a new iPhone is always a small headache because they are usually high outlays, but there are always alternatives to make this less painful. One of them is to buy it in installments, but also to deliver an old iPhone and get a discount for it. This can be managed in official Apple stores, but also through its website. The procedure is simple:
- Enter the Apple website.
- Click on ” iPhone “.
- Choose the model you want to buy.
- On the purchase page, select “Yes” when asked if you want to deliver your old iPhone.
- Select your mobile from the dropdown list. If it is an obsolete iPhone it will be available only for recycling.
- The moment you choose your iPhone, you will be asked for its capacity , status and serial number.
The state and capacity of the iPhone will vary the discount they will give you for the new one. It is true that perhaps the amount they offer you may seem low compared to what you could get in second-hand buying and selling portals, but in this way at least you do not have to do anything and it is a quick process.
Sell it as a second-hand product
If the previous option does not convince you and the device is in good condition, there may be someone interested in it if it is at a good price. So you can go to stores to sell the second-hand iPhone. Whether they are physical, virtual establishments or through private apps, you can get good money for it. Obviously you will have to establish a reasonable figure and if the equipment is also old or no longer updates iOS, it may cost you more to sell it. In any case, it provides all the information so that potential buyers can be clear about the status of the product and further facilitate the sales process.
Give it away to someone who needs it
Sometimes it is much more satisfying to give something away than to sell it, despite the fact that you do not obtain economic income, you are doing a good work and more if the other person needs it. Surely you have someone around you who you like and who has a phone older than your old iPhone or who wants a phone like that. If your device works well, you can give it to him to use as the main equipment. It is also possible that if you have children, nephews or the like, you can give them to them when they are old enough to have their first iPhone.
Restore iPhone in any case
If the phone is functional, regardless of whether you are going to give it away, sell it or recycle it, we recommend that you do not leave any personal data or files. For this, the best way to erase all your trace is by restoring the device, which you can do in several ways. Of course, for all of them you must deactivate the “Find my iPhone” function from Settings> your name> Search.
From the iPhone itself
- Open Settings.
- Go to General.
- Press reset.
- Now click on Delete content and settings.
During this process you may be asked for the iPhone security code and even the associated Apple ID password.
From a Mac with macOS Catalina or later
- Connect iPhone to Mac via cable.
- Open a Finder window .
- In the left part of the window you will see that your device appears, click on it.
- Click on “Restore”.
You will surely be required to enter the device security code or the Apple ID password during the process. In any case, do not disconnect the iPhone from the Mac until the restoration is done.
From a Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier
- Connect iPhone to Mac via cable.
- Open iTunes. It is important that this program is updated to its latest version.
- Go to the management part of the device, clicking on the icon of this at the top.
- Now select the “Restore” option .
You may be required to enter your device security code or Apple ID password during the process. In any case, do not disconnect the iPhone from the Mac until the restoration is done.
From a Windows PC
- Connect iPhone to Mac via cable.
- Open iTunes. Download it from the Apple website if you don’t have it installed.
- Go to the management part of the device, clicking on the icon of this at the top.
- Now select the “Restore” option .
You may be required to enter your device security code or Apple ID password during the process. In any case, do not disconnect the iPhone from the computer until the restoration is complete.
As you will see, there are different options to avoid abandoning your old iPhone and these are the ones we recommend the most. And you, do you have any suggestions on what to do with an old iPhone? You can tell us in the comment box.
