Your old phone is still better than half the smart displays people keep buying

Rather than buying a dedicated smart display like an Echo Show or Google Next Hub, repurposing an old flagship Android phone is a better option. Old flagship phones have superior hardware — higher-resolution displays, faster processors, better cameras, and more sensors — compared to budget-grade smart displays. With apps like Home Assistant, an old phone can serve as a fully customizable, ad-free smart home hub that can run multiple apps simultaneously, all for free using hardware you already own.