The old Samsung Galaxy S5 flagship phones may now be relatively obsolete, but their processing power is not, as Samsung itself has managed to showcase the power of multiple S5s for Bitcoin mining.

Reports form Motherboard state Samsung has put together a 40-phone Bitcoin mining machine using the old Galaxy S5 models. Samsung also intends to introduce a new software to the old phone model in order to optimize it for mining activities. The software is under development specifically for the company's upcycling initiative where old phone models are put to good use instead of just being thrown away. The initiative involves recycling old parts of smartphones and repurposing them instead of breaking them down.

Apparently, eight Samsung Galaxy S5 can output mining power equal to that of an Intel Core i7-2600 desktop central processing unit (CPU), so people can imagine that 40 of them will be a lot more powerful than that. 

"This innovative platform provides an environmentally responsible way for old Galaxy mobile devices to breathe new life, providing new possibilities and potential extended value for devices that might otherwise be forgotten in desk drawers or discarded," says Robin Schultz, a spokesperson for Samsung. 

Engadget suggests that Samsung's upcycling initiative stemmed from Greenpeace's criticism of their company due to their electronic waste (e-waste) by-products. Samsung is also renewing its support for older devices, albeit more aimed at repurposing them instead of making them less obsolete as smartphones. 

Apart from the Galaxy S5 Bitcoin mining rig, Samsung has also repurposed an old Galaxy tablet into a laptop which uses Ubuntu, a Linux-based operating system (OS), reprogrammed an old Galaxy S3 so that it can monitor a fish tank, and programmed an old unnamed phone with facial recognition as a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera for house entrance security.

Still, despite these repurposing achievements, Samsung has a long way to go before it can finally be considered as eco-friendly, as the company is reported to have the lowest score for battery adhesion. It may well be a public relation (PR) stunt depending on how future developments turn out.