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Retro Tech Is On The Rise As Gen Z Seek To Improve Mental Health

In the late 鈥�90s and early 鈥�00s, flip phones, and digital cameras were must-haves. However, they eventually got brushed aside when smartphones were introduced.

Unlike other technology that is merely set aside with the introduction of newer and better technology, flip phones received rather harsh treatment. At their peak they were regarded as 鈥減hones鈥� but once the smartphone was in the picture, they became 鈥渄umb phones.鈥�

Despite performing the basic tasks a phone is supposed to perform, they were considered 鈥渦seless鈥� from then on. Their lack of an Appstore a powerful operating system among other features made them unadmirable to the user.

Well, with the passage of time, a flip phone revolution is beginning to take shape. The much-beloved smartphone is getting 鈥榯oo smart鈥� for some users. Younger generations more so, are starting to view the smartphone as 鈥榙istracting鈥�, 鈥榙eluding鈥�, and 鈥榬uining鈥� their lives.

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As the Atlantic put it, younger generations (millennials and Gen Z) are supposedly crawling back to the so-called dumb phone. According to a CNBC report, this flip phone revolution is well and truly underway, more so in the United States.

CNBC reports that companies like HMD Global continue to sell millions of devices similar to those used in the late 鈥�90s and early 鈥�00s. HMD Global is the maker of the infamous Nokia phones. However, unlike the outdated versions used back then, the new ones are known as 鈥榝eature phones.鈥� This means that while they look like traditional flip or slide phones, they have additional features like GPS or a hotspot.

Why Are Flip Phones on The Rise?

This recent interest in these feature phones and 鈥榦utdated鈥� technology is rather simple. The younger generations want a break from smartphones and the problems they might cause, particularly the deterioration of mental health.

Jose Briones, a dumb phone influencer told CNBC, 鈥淚 think you can see it with certain Gen Z populations. They鈥檙e tired of the screens. They don鈥檛 know what is going on with mental health and they鈥檙e trying to make cutbacks.鈥�

There are companies that are backing and catering to this trend. This includes companies like Punkt and Light which are selling these feature phones. Joe Hollier, co-founder of Light said, 鈥淲hat we鈥檙e trying to do with the Light phone isn鈥檛 to create a dumb phone, but to create a more intentional phone. A premium, minimal phone which isn鈥檛 inherently anti-technology. It鈥檚 about consciously choosing how and when to use which aspects of technology that add to my quality of life.鈥�

The cool factor has been further increased by the inclusion of celebrities in the 鈥榤ovement鈥�. Among them are Dave Cameron and Camila Cabello. They assert that they are a part of the “flip phone revolution” and desire to reduce their social media scrolling time.

While indeed there is a flip phone, rather minimal phone revolution, it is clear that it’s only appealing to those looking to spend less time on their phones and social media. It鈥檚 not like millennials and Gen Z are getting rid of their smartphones for feature phones. Instead, they are buying these phones as an alternative to force themselves off the clearly addictive social media apps that are 鈥榙raining鈥� to say the least.