Samsung Electronics Expands its Galaxy Upcycling Programme, Enabling Customers to Repurpose Galaxy Smartphones into Smart Home Devices

The initiative promotes upcycling old electronics as a creative solution to combat electronic waste and provides convenience for customers in everyday life

LONDON, April 21, 2021 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has today announced the expansion of its Galaxy Upcycling programme with Galaxy Upcycling at Home. The initiative gives new life to older Galaxy smartphones^[1] by converting them into a variety of Smart Home devices through a simple software update, such as childcare monitor, a pet care solution and other tools that meet individual lifestyle needs. Samsung has implemented the beta service for Galaxy Upcycling at Home in the UK, the US and Korea, starting from today.

“Samsung first introduced the Galaxy Upcycling programme in 2017 as part of our sustainability efforts, to reimagine old Galaxy devices for the home. We’re delighted to be taking this to the next level, and bringing the Galaxy Upcycling at Home beta to the UK” said Teg Dosanjh, Director of Connected Services and Technology, Samsung UK and Ireland. “Through unique SmartThings connectivity, Galaxy Upcycling at Home encourages people to turn old smartphones into a smart home device, providing new ways to gradually reduce our eco footprint and use their existing tech to add value to everyday life.”

Make Any Home a Smart Home

The Galaxy Upcycling at Home programme provides enhanced sound and light-control features, by repurposing built-in sensors. Users can transform their old devices through SmartThings Labs, a feature within the SmartThings app.

• Using an improved artificial intelligence (AI) solution, Galaxy devices can more accurately distinguish sounds in everyday surroundings, and users can choose to save certain sound recordings. For example, if the device detects sounds such as a baby crying, dog barking, cat meowing, or a knock, it will send an alert directly to the user’s linked up smartphone, allowing them to listen to the recorded sound.
• Devices can also be used as a light sensor to measure the brightness level of the room. Users can easily set the device to automatically turn on the lights or the TV through SmartThings if the room becomes darker than the pre-set level.

For a device to continuously detect sound and light, it needs to be actively operating for long periods of time. For this reason, Samsung equipped the Galaxy Upcycle at Home upgrade with battery optimisation solutions to minimise battery usage. Devices will also be able to connect effortlessly to SmartThings, allowing them to interact with a variety of other Smart Home devices from hundreds of leading brands in the SmartThings ecosystem.

“Smart home devices are a fast-growing trend for consumer electronics, and we believe that Galaxy devices currently not in use can play an important role in turning every home into a smart home,” said Jaeyeon Jung, VP & Head of the SmartThings team, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “The programme transforms Galaxy devices into SmartThings devices and demonstrates the power of our intelligent IoT platform to broaden the possibilities of what users can do with their old phones. Through Galaxy Upcycling at Home, users will have access to the complete SmartThings ecosystem, enabling them to explore broader updates and features without having to purchase a new device.”

Shaping a Sustainable Future with Repurposed Technology

“We created Galaxy Upcycling at Home to enable more people to repurpose their old devices into useful tools, allowing both Samsung and our users to be mindful of the impact we have on the environment,” said Sung-Koo Kim, VP of the Sustainability Management Office, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are rethinking how we use existing resources, and we believe the key to upcycling is to enable solutions that transform old technology into something new by adding value. We are committed to integrating sustainable practices into our day-to-day lives, and through Galaxy Upcycling at Home, users can join our journey toward a more sustainable future.”

This innovative solution is part of Samsung’s continued commitment to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a global blueprint for the world to achieve a more sustainable and prosperous future for all by 2030 through 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Galaxy Upcycling at Home specifically focuses on Goal 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production – encouraging the reduction of waste and promoting sustainable production practices and consumer behaviours.

Samsung is building environmental sustainability into everything we do. This includes taking dedicated action across every stage of the product lifecycle to help the world transition to a circular economy that makes greater use of sustainable materials, extends product longevity and reuses resources. Through programmes like Galaxy Upcycling, Samsung intends to deliver innovative technologies that reshape consumer experiences while empowering them to play a part in sustainable practices.

[1] Galaxy Upcycling at Home feature is available on all S, Note, and Z series devices released from 2018 (S9, Note9 or later), running Android 9 and above. More devices will gradually be updated overtime.