Samsung: “Galaxy Upcycling” to assign new functions to old devices

With its “Galaxy Upcycling” program, Samsung wants to turn old smartphones into smart home devices. The South Koreans have started a beta test for this, which is supposed to be a trial run. The electronics company is advertising its planned feature with an old Galaxy smartphone, for example, which can be used as a baby monitor without further ado.

Smart home device as an alternative to electronic waste

Samsung’s idea can certainly be called commendable. After all, the lifetimes of smartphones continue to decline. On average, mobile contract holders reach for a new smartphone every two years as part of a contract renewal. But what happens to the old device? Many don’t give it a second thought. While some resort to selling them on eBay and the like, a lot of devices end up in the electrical cabinet or even in the trash. However, Samsung now wants to breathe new life into old devices by assigning a different function without further ado. According to a press release from the popular smartphone manufacturer, the so-called Galaxy Upcycling program is now to be launched as part of a beta test in the US, Korea and the UK.

The company’s basic idea is not new. After all, Samsung announced back in 2017 that Galaxy Upcycling was coming. However, the company could not really show any practical applications at that time. With the alternative to recycling or trash, Samsung has definitely brought an exciting idea to the public. After all, many people forget how powerful their “old” smartphone still is. Those who then let it gather dust in the cupboard forfeit great opportunities. After all, even older devices have high-quality technology such as microphones, speakers, camera and not least a display, which reveal many possibilities.

Fitting software makes it possible

To be able to turn your old Samsung smartphone into a smart home device, you need the right software. This is where the so-called SmartThings app comes into play. With the help of this application, you can easily change the functionality of the device in question. So far, the microphone of the old smartphone has been the most useful tool. This can be used to detect sounds. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a baby crying or the doorbell ringing. The possibilities in the smart home sector seem to be very great. The sounds recorded by the microphone are to be analyzed by a sophisticated AI. This should then also be able to distinguish between different sounds.

Thus, a corresponding solution as a smart baby monitor should even have the edge over conventional baby monitors. After all, these jump on at every loud noise. However, not only the microphones, but also other hardware should be able to provide practical added value in the smart home. For example, light control using the built-in light sensor in the Galaxy device is conceivable. Samsung wants to adapt the smart home software to consume as little energy as possible so that the battery does not run down too quickly despite high performance. We hope that the beta test is successful and are curious about the possibilities Galaxy Upcycling will offer.