How To Use An Old Samsung Phone As A Smart Home Sensor – SlashGear

Samsung’s Galaxy Upcycling at Home Program launched in 2021 with the goal to repurpose old Galaxy smartphones as Internet of Things (IoT) devices for the home (via Samsung Newsroom). Instead of letting old phones gather dust in a drawer, or add to the ever-growing pile of electronic waste, owners can upcycle them into useful devices such as an automatic indoor lighting system or a pet/baby monitor. This way, they can get the most out of their phones, all while helping the environment. According to SmartThings, the upcycling feature is limited to select models running Android 8.1 and later and were released from 2018 onwards. This includes all S models from Galaxy S9, all Note models from Note9, and all Z series. 

To convert the phones into smart home devices, you need two simple apps: Galaxy Upcycle and SmartThings. These apps allow you to use the older phone’s built-in light and sound sensors for your specific purpose. The light sensor is used for measuring ambient light levels, while the sound sensor detects and records five sounds: barks, meows, baby cries, knocks, and glass breaking. Your old phone will send a notification to your current one every time it hears such sounds.

Here’s what you need to do to convert your old Samsung phone to either one of these sensors.