To get even closer to the Echo experience, keep that phone connected to a Bluetooth speaker. If you're an Apple Music user, Siri can serve up songs, playlists and the like (podcasts too, provided you have Apple's Podcasts app). Alas, while she can open third-party apps like Spotify for you, she can't yet make them play. The one exception is Pandora: Say, "Hey, Siri, open Pandora," and the app will start playing whatever was your last station. Don't buy a VR headset that lacks lens-adjustment dials.
For the moment, Apple seems content to let Google (and, to a lesser extent, Samsung) steal the smartphone-powered VR spotlight, But you may be surprised to learn that an iPhone can serve up some terrific virtual experiences, All you need is a headset and some apps, Even more surprising: a headset won't cost you much, Amazon, for example, offers dozens of iPhone-compatible VR goggles priced in butts iphone case the $20-35 range, Look for a model that lets you adjust focal width and length, the better to accommodate users with less-than-perfect vision..
As for apps, here's a roundup of the best VR apps for iPhone as well as the best VR games for iPhone. An old iPhone might just be the best thing to hit your nightstand since the lamp. Because in that one spot it can serve countless purposes. Bedside clock: Disappearing Bedside Clock, $3, AU$5, £3) is an interesting choice, as the display disappears after a selected interval, but reappears when you tap the screen or wave your hand in front of it. Alarm clock: Check out iOS 10's new alarm feature, but don't overlook third-party apps like SpeakToSnooze, which features some cool voice-control options.
Clock radio: TuneIn Radio is a good choice, as it has both alarm and sleep-timer features, Dedicated e-reader: iBooks, Kindle, Nook, OverDrive..you don't have to limit yourself to a single app, Meditation player: butts iphone case I'm partial to Buddhify, but there are a zillion others, Spare Roku remote: Check out the latest update, White-noise machine: I don't have a particular favorite; hit up the App Store for lots of choices, Any other suggestions for an iPhone by the bedside? Or anywhere else, for that matter? Let's hear your ideas for reusing your leftover handset..
Editors' note: This article was originally published on January 28, 2017, and has since been updated. Before you decide to sell your unwanted iPhone, consider finding other ways to put it to good use. The iPhone has been around for a full 10 years now, meaning at some point you've probably upgraded to a newer model. (Possibly several newer models.) And whenever you do that, you're left with your old phone and a question: What should I do with it?. Most common answer: sell it. That's a good way to help defray the cost of the upgrade.
