Your Old iPhone Is The Perfect Siri Smart Hub For The House

Once you move on to the newest generation iPhone or a fresher model, it may seem like your old iPhone will be doomed to an eternity of rotting in your junk drawer. Rather than letting it get lost in a jungle of old, tangled cables, earbuds, and other forgotten devices and accessories, your old iPhone can, instead be repurposed into a clever, cheaper alternative for Siri smart hubs like the Apple HomePod and the Apple HomeView initially revealed in October 2026 for $299. This hack could give those who aren't already in possession of one all the more reason to consider these older iPhones that are still worth buying in 2026.

Converting your previous iPhone into a Siri smart hub necessitates some simple MacGyvering. All you need to do is hook the phone up to any Bluetooth or wired speaker. The only major caveat to this easy solution is that both devices must be powered on for the setup to work. They'll also need to be connected to a power source if you wish to use your makeshift smart hub at any time. Users should also make sure their iPhone is updated to a more recent iteration of iOS.

Similar to how the HomePod or HomeView includes hands-free access to Siri, some older iPhones need only hear the magic words "Hey, Siri" to honor several verbal requests and functions. This crucial similarity, so long as you're willing to forgive its less pleasing appearance and some missing features, could render your old iPhone an adequate stand-in alongside popular smart home hubs more affordable than Apple HomeView.

Store-bought and homemade Siri smart hubs may give you the ease of accessing all sorts of information hands-free from within your home. You may also use touch commands to control your home – even when you're away from home – with the Apple Home app on your current iPhone. However, one major downside to using an older iPhone as a Siri smart hub replacement is that you wouldn't be able to directly access this feature without also having another Apple Home device present. The Home app requires users to designate either their Apple TV 4K or HomePod as their home hub, whereas the iPhone steps in as a remote control to manipulate these accessories. Thus, it isn't an option to turn your smartphone into a home hub and, therefore, your makeshift, iPhone-based smart hub would not be able to become one, either. Those looking to take advantage of the Home app's functions would, instead, have to bite the bullet and invest in a HomePod, rather than DIY their own.

However, this shouldn't necessarily force you to sell your old iPhone back to Apple. All things considered, the makeshift smart hub could still accomplish much that a HomePod could, while also saving you a forgivable chunk of change. A current-generation HomePod sells for $349, while the HomePod mini 2 costs $149. Meanwhile, unless you already own one, there exist several affordable speaker brands that can greatly shrink your bill. Thus, it could still be worth going for the homemade option.