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Samsung dumped its phone recycling program for a far worse alternative
iFixit spills the beans on its failed partnership
Millions of smartphones are sold every year, and that's a number we often see companies boasting about. Unfortunately, this also means that millions of them end up in landfills since old software and tired components don't often make for an enjoyable experience. Samsung decided to address this issue back in 2017, but iFixit, the partner it decided to work with, reveals how the company watered down the initial idea so much that it's "nearly unrecognizable."
Samsung's Galaxy Upcycling at Home initiative aims to turn old phones into useful smart home devices
Using a phone as a noise detection monitor for your baby, for instance
Most of us probably have an old phone or two lying around in a drawer somewhere that could be put to better use. At CES 2021, Samsung announced an extension of its Upcycling sustainability program, called Galaxy Upcycling at Home, that will allow older Galaxy phones to be repurposed as useful tools for your home.
In an effort to combat e-waste, Samsung and iFixit announced the "Galaxy Upcycling" initiative at the Samsung Developer Conference in San Francisco. This initiative intends to allow users to develop ancillary uses for their old phones, and share the code on the Upcycling website, where other users can download and use these crowdsourced ideas. Among the ideas presented at the developer conference were Bitcoin mining clusters made from Galaxy S5 units, an arcade cabinet using a Galaxy tablet, and an IoT-connected fishtank. In addition to providing code downloads, the Upcycling website will also sell sensors and accessories for IoT-related projects.