December 2, 2025
On a day when Samsung is showing off a futuristic triple‑folding phone and kid‑friendly “minimal” smartphones are hitting the headlines, millions of older iPhones are quietly sliding toward drawers, scrap yards, or the landfill. [1]
At the same time, a fresh guide from How‑To Geek published just hours ago is going viral for one simple idea: don’t get rid of your old iPhone yet—reuse it. [2]
Here’s how today’s tech news, right‑to‑repair laws, and the global e‑waste crisis all collide on 2 December 2025—and what you can do with that old iPhone instead of throwing it away.
1. Why Today Is a Turning Point for Old iPhones
A wave of “obsolete” iPhones is coming
Back in September, analysis around Apple’s upcoming iOS 26 warned that around 75 million iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max devices could become effectively obsolete when they lose support, with researchers estimating more than 1.2 million kilograms of metals tied up in those phones alone. [3]
That’s on top of the normal upgrade cycle and the expected discontinuation of several models (including older iPhone 15 and 16 variants) as Apple’s iPhone 17 line rolls out, pushing even more still‑working devices into the “old iPhone” category. [4]
E‑waste is growing faster than recycling
The e‑waste problem isn’t abstract:
- The latest global monitoring shows the world generated about 62 billion kg (62 million tons) of e‑waste in 2022, yet only 22.3% was properly collected and recycled. [5]
- Recent analysis projects 65.3 million tons of e‑waste in 2025, growing several times faster than current recycling rates. [6]
Smartphones are a big slice of that—and iPhones hold particularly valuable metals like gold, copper, and palladium. When you toss one, you’re literally throwing money and resources into the ground.
Laws are finally on your side
In 2025, right‑to‑repair stopped being a niche movement and turned into law in multiple regions:
- States like California, Oregon, Colorado, Minnesota, New York, and Massachusetts now require manufacturers to provide parts, tools, and documentation so consumers and independent shops can repair phones and other devices. [7]
- Oregon’s law, in force since January 1, 2025, even restricts “parts pairing,” where new components only work if blessed by the manufacturer. [8]
- Washington State’s HB 1483—the Digital Electronics Right to Repair Act—was signed this year and takes effect July 27, 2025, adding more pressure on manufacturers to support repairable designs. [9]
Meanwhile, Dutch brand Fairphone has entered the U.S. market on the strength of this trend, promoting phones and audio gear designed for 8 years of support, a 5‑year warranty, and spare parts guaranteed until 2033. [10]
All of this has the same message: keep devices in use longer.
2. From Viral Guides to Real Life: How‑To Geek and Others Want You to Reuse That iPhone
Today’s How‑To Geek article on “6 ways to repurpose an old iPhone” taps into this moment perfectly. It highlights practical second lives for an aging iPhone instead of trading it in for pennies or letting it rot in a drawer. [11]
From that guide and other 2025 “reuse your old iPhone” round‑ups, several themes stand out: [12]
- Turn it into a home security camera
With the right app, an old iPhone can sit in your window or hallway as a motion‑detecting camera, streaming video to your main phone. - Use it as a dedicated camera / time‑lapse rig
Free your main phone by using the old one to capture time‑lapse videos of cityscapes, plant growth, or projects, without worrying about battery drain or interruptions. - Make it a music or podcast hub
Load it with offline playlists and hook it up to a speaker in the kitchen, garage, or car. No notifications, no distractions—just audio. - Create a kid‑safe entertainment and learning device
With strict Screen Time controls and offline media, an older iPhone can be a safer environment for children than a brand‑new, fully connected device. - Turn it into a smart‑home remote
Keep it on the coffee table as a dedicated controller for lights, thermostat, cameras, and streaming devices. - Keep it as a backup or travel phone
Pop in an eSIM or prepaid SIM when you travel, or keep it charged as an emergency device at home.
The core idea: repurposing is recycling, but smarter. You squeeze more real‑world value out of the hardware before it enters the recycling stream.
3. Today’s Smartphone News Shows Why Repurposing Matters
While Samsung folds phones three ways…
This morning, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z TriFold, its first triple‑folding smartphone. It unfolds into a 10‑inch display, about 25% larger than its current flagship foldable, and costs roughly 3.59 million won (around $2,440). The device launches in South Korea on December 12 and will roll out to markets including China, Singapore, Taiwan, and the UAE by the end of the year, with a U.S. debut expected in early 2026. [13]
Analysts still expect foldables to make up less than 3% of the smartphone market by 2027, but the TriFold is meant to showcase tech at the bleeding edge. [14]
For everyday users, this reinforces the gap between headline‑grabbing flagships and the perfectly capable devices already in their pockets—and in their drawers.
…others push simpler, longer‑lasting phones
On the same date, HMD and Xplora have introduced the XploraOne mini, a small kid‑oriented phone designed without social media, focusing on calls, texts, basic photos, and strong parental controls. It’s light, rugged, splash‑resistant, and priced at €179, with availability in Europe this winter. [15]
The XploraOne mini is part of a broader trend: phones that deliberately do less, last longer, and are easier to repair—exactly the kind of mindset that pairs well with repurposing older iPhones instead of constantly chasing the newest model. [16]
4. Step‑by‑Step: What To Do With Your Old iPhone Today
Before you repurpose or recycle, follow a simple checklist.
Step 1: Decide if it will stay “online” or go offline
Ask yourself:
- Will this phone still connect to your Apple ID and the internet (e.g., security camera, smart‑home remote)?
- Or is it going completely offline (e.g., car music player, kids’ video device, dedicated time‑lapse camera)?
If it’s going offline, a full sign‑out and factory reset plus a clean setup with no personal accounts is usually best. If it’s staying “online” but in your hands, you might keep your Apple ID but lock it down with extra passcode and Screen Time controls.
Step 2: Back up and wipe before giving it to anyone else
If the iPhone is going to another person (even within your household), treat it like a new owner:
- Back up your data to iCloud or a computer.
- Sign out of iCloud / Apple ID and turn off “Find My iPhone.”
- Erase all content and settings from Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Remove any physical SIM card.
This helps protect your privacy and prevents activation‑lock headaches later.
Step 3: Choose a second life that actually fits your lifestyle
Here are some of the most useful and realistic ideas in 2025:
4.1 Security and monitoring
- Home security camera:
Mount the iPhone near an entrance and run a security‑camera or baby‑monitor app. An always‑plugged‑in, older device is perfect for 24/7 video. - Pet or baby monitor:
Put it in the nursery or near a pet area, video‑calling your main phone when you’re in another room or at work.
4.2 Creativity and content
- Dedicated camera / B‑roll phone:
Keep consistent settings and framing without having your main phone tied up. Great for creators filming multi‑angle shots for social media or YouTube. - Time‑lapse and stop‑motion station:
Set it up on a mini tripod to capture construction projects, art pieces, plant growth, or city views over days or weeks.
4.3 Entertainment and learning
- Offline media player:
Download playlists, podcasts, or audiobooks over Wi‑Fi, then keep the phone permanently in your car, kitchen, or gym bag. - Kids’ device:
Lock down app installs and in‑app purchases, sideload educational videos or games, and keep it in airplane mode most of the time for extra safety.
4.4 Smart home and utilities
- Smart‑home dashboard:
Pin Home, camera, and automation apps to the home screen and leave the phone on a stand in the living room as your family’s “control panel.” - Dedicated navigation / cycling computer:
Use it as a GPS device in the car or on a bike, with offline maps and a simple mount.
5. When Repurposing Isn’t Enough: Trade‑In, Recycling, and Scrap
Even the best‑loved iPhone eventually reaches a point where its battery, storage, or speed make daily use painful. That’s where responsible exit strategies matter.
Apple’s official programs
Apple’s Reuse and Recycling Program in 2025 invites customers to bring in old devices—working or not—for free recycling, emphasizing that “you may be done with your devices, but chances are they still have more to give.” [17]
In April, Apple also ran an Earth Day promotion: bring in eligible old tech (including smartphones) to an Apple Store for recycling and receive 10% off a wide range of Apple accessories like AirPods, Apple TV, and HomePod mini—up to five devices per customer. [18]
Behind the scenes, Apple’s “Daisy” recycling robots can disassemble up to 200 iPhones per hour, handling around 15 different models and contributing to millions of refurbished or recycled devices that diverted tens of thousands of tons of e‑waste from landfills. [19]
Certified e‑waste recyclers and scrap value
If Apple’s program isn’t convenient, certified e‑waste recyclers and scrap yards are another option:
- Scrap yards pay for the metals inside old phones; one U.S. price tracker lists current cellphone scrap around $0.62 per pound, reflecting strong demand for recovered copper, gold, and other metals (though that price was last updated a few months ago). [20]
- Proper recyclers ensure batteries are removed safely and hazardous materials don’t end up being burned or dumped in ways that harm nearby communities—a serious issue highlighted by UN and Geneva‑based reports on informal e‑waste processing. [21]
The key rule: never throw a phone in the regular trash. Take it to a trusted recycler, an official collection event, or an electronics retailer with a take‑back program.
6. How Policy and Industry Are Moving in Your Favor
The reason you’re hearing more about repurposing and recycling this year is that governments and companies finally care—because they have to.
- International organizations warn that e‑waste is one of the fastest‑growing waste streams in the world, with only about one‑fifth properly recycled. [22]
- New right‑to‑repair laws in multiple U.S. states and countries like New Zealand are explicitly aimed at reducing e‑waste by making repairs easier and extending device lifespans. [23]
- Companies like Fairphone are posting over 60% year‑on‑year growth by selling modular, easily repairable devices and spare parts, showing that there’s real demand for sustainable tech. [24]
Even accessory companies and storage makers are leaning into green branding. For example, storage vendor Apacer just announced a new ECO series of SSDs that emphasize recycled materials and energy efficiency, tying storage hardware to broader sustainability trends. [25]
For old iPhone owners, all this pressure means more options: more repair shops, more trade‑in programs, and more local recycling infrastructure.
7. Quick FAQ for iPhone Owners on December 2, 2025
Is my iPhone “too old” to repurpose?
If it turns on, charges, and can connect to Wi‑Fi, it can probably handle at least one of the roles above—especially offline tasks like media playback, kids’ content, or time‑lapse shooting.
Is it safe to keep using an iPhone that no longer gets iOS updates?
For online banking or sensitive data, an unsupported OS is not ideal. But as an offline device (music player, camera, kids’ video viewer), it’s generally fine once it’s reset and stripped of personal data.
What’s better for the planet: selling, donating, or recycling?
In order of impact:
- Repurpose yourself
- Donate or resell (so someone else uses it)
- Trade‑in or recycle through certified channels
Each step delays or improves the moment your phone becomes e‑waste.
The Bottom Line
On December 2, 2025, the smartphone news cycle is dominated by flashy foldables, kid‑focused “minimal” phones, and relentless upgrade hype. [26]
But the quiet story—and the one that matters for your wallet and the planet—is what happens to your old iPhone.
Whether you turn it into a security camera, a dedicated music hub, a kid‑safe device, or eventually send it through Apple’s recycling robots, every thoughtful choice keeps a chunk of those 65 million tons of e‑waste out of landfills and cuts demand for new raw materials. [27]
If you’re holding onto an old iPhone today, it’s not junk. It’s an opportunity—for a second life in your home and a smaller footprint on the planet.
References
1. www.reuters.com, 2. www.howtogeek.com, 3. www.theregister.com, 4. m.economictimes.com, 5. www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org, 6. www.techtimes.com, 7. www.crowell.com, 8. pirg.org, 9. www.ul.com, 10. www.reuters.com, 11. www.howtogeek.com, 12. www.igeeksblog.com, 13. www.reuters.com, 14. www.reuters.com, 15. www.techeblog.com, 16. www.reuters.com, 17. www.apple.com, 18. 9to5mac.com, 19. wasterecyclingmag.ca, 20. iscrapapp.com, 21. www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org, 22. www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org, 23. www.crowell.com, 24. www.reuters.com, 25. us.acrofan.com, 26. www.reuters.com, 27. www.howtogeek.com
