For a generation ra ised on smartphones, instant messaging and social media, some Gen Z consumers are finding an unlikely source of appeal in the technology of the past.
From chunky flip phones and early 2000s digicams to wired headphones and printed photographs, once-outdated gadgets and analogue habits are being rediscovered by younger users seeking experiences that feel less polished, less connected and more tangible.
The revival is particularly visible in photography. The Washington Post reported on 26 August 2025 that shipments of cameras with built-in lenses had exceeded one million in the first half of the year, while older compact digital cameras were also attracting renewed attention.
The trend does not mean Gen Z is abandoning smartphones altogether. Instead, it suggests a more selective relationship with technology, with some young people choosing older devices for specific purposes or as a way to reduce digital distractions.
Why Digicams and Flip Phones Are Having a Moment
Digicams have become one of the clearest symbols of the revival because their imperfections are now part of their appeal.
Unlike modern smartphone cameras, older compact cameras can produce grainy, blurry or harshly lit images. For younger users, those imperfections can create the distinctive Y2K aesthetic associated with the late 1990s and early 2000s.
But the attraction is not purely visual.
A dedicated camera can remove many of the distractions built into a smartphone. Users can take photographs without simultaneously being exposed to messages, social media feeds and notifications.
The Washington Post reported that young digicam enthusiasts appreciate being more present and enjoying the surprise of seeing photographs later, rather than immediately reviewing a polished image on a smartphone.
That desire for fewer distractions is also helping fuel interest in basic phones.
In 2025, some Gen Z users embraced the idea of a 'flip phone summer', temporarily putting their smartphones away in favour of simpler devices as a way of stepping back from social media.
The distinction is important: these devices are often being used selectively rather than replacing smartphones permanently.
For some users, the appeal is precisely that a flip phone cannot do everything.
Printed Photos and the Return of Things You Can Hold
The back-to-basics revival extends beyond gadgets.
In the UK, a 2025 survey commissioned by holiday park brand Haven found that 43% of respondents aged 18 to 27 said they regularly printed photographs. The survey involved 2,000 UK adults, so the finding should be viewed as a snapshot of those respondents rather than evidence of behaviour among all Gen Z consumers.
The appeal is straightforward. A photograph stored on a phone can disappear among thousands of other images, while a printed picture becomes something physical that can be displayed, shared or kept.
The generational irony has not escaped social media users. Responding to the trend on Instagram, one commenter wrote, 'Your outdated is our aesthetic'. Another added, 'What goes around comes around', while a third joked about Gen Z trying to be millennials.
The comments highlight another element of the revival: much of what is being rediscovered is associated with the late 1990s and 2000s, an era Gen Z encountered through childhood memories, older relatives and internet culture.
Gen Z has grown up with smartphones and social media as an ordinary part of daily life, yet some young people are deliberately seeking devices that offer less.
The digicam does not offer the convenience of a smartphone camera. The flip phone does not provide every app. The printed photograph cannot be endlessly edited or scrolled past.
That may be precisely the point.
Rather than rejecting modern technology, the back-to-basics revival suggests that some young people are rediscovering the value of limitation—choosing older tools when they want to capture a moment, disconnect from the internet or simply experience something without another screen demanding their attention.
After years of being told that newer means faster, smarter and better, Gen Z's retro revival is offering a different definition of desirable: sometimes, doing less is the whole appeal.
