Gen Z moving to Flip Phones

[Mainsail]

I saw this article on CNN.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/15/business/flip-phone-gen-z-ctrp/index.html

I understand the desire to get off social media, but I am not sure I get buying another phone as the solution. Isn't it easier to just log off of social media and delete all of those apps from your phone? Then you still have the other useful features: navigation, sharing location for safety, better camera, email, wiki and reference apps, contacts, calendars, reminders, news, stocks, weather, etc...

 

[satcomer]

I saw this article on CNN.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/15/business/flip-phone-gen-z-ctrp/index.html

I understand the desire to get off social media, but I am not sure I get buying another phone as the solution. Isn't it easier to just log off of social media and delete all of those apps from your phone? Then you still have the other useful features: navigation, sharing location for safety, better camera, email, wiki and reference apps, contacts, calendars, reminders, news, stocks, weather, etc...

I already quit Twitter because it felt lime marking setup frpn some users! Like their companies marking employees trying to say they marking on the social media!

 

[ratspg]

I miss those devices, the stand-by time on the old Nokia I had was for-ev-er.

 

[Mainsail]

I already quit Twitter because it felt lime marking setup frpn some users! Like their companies marking employees trying to say they marking on the social media!

Like I said, I understand wanting to get off of social media for a bunch of reasons. I just don't understand why you need to get a flip phone to do it. And, the article seems to indicate that these folks are keeping their smartphones, so they use the flip phone when they go out with their friends. BTW - if someone wants to be more "present", they can always turn on the do not disturb feature.

 

[jz0309]

If it’s actually a trend, it’ll be over and replaced by something else in 6 months tops…
But, Apple missed an opportunity and still has no foldable…

 

[kitKAC]

Like I said, I understand wanting to get off of social media for a bunch of reasons. I just don't understand why you need to get a flip phone to do it. And, the article seems to indicate that these folks are keeping their smartphones, so they use the flip phone when they go out with their friends. BTW - if someone wants to be more "present", they can always turn on the do not disturb feature.

You can't show people that you're following a trend by just deleting apps off your phone (or using Screen time to limit their use). 🤷‍♂

 

[kitKAC]

But, Apple missed an opportunity and still has no foldable…

These people aren't using smartphones.

 

[jz0309]

These people aren't using smartphones.

Read the article…

 

[trusso]

News flash: just because a news site publishes an article with a huge over-generalization doesn't actually make it true. Seriously, I don't know anyone in the real world who is actually doing this. Not that doing so is bad for the reasons stated in the article.

I'm an older millennial, and I'm really sick and tired of seeing Boomer-owned corporate America make boogeyman out of Millennials and Gen-Z. Articles like this are trivial, but others (and en masse) are more nefarious.

If you're past middle-age and your primary conception of the younger generations is via "news" like this... well, you really ought to question who's getting played here.

 

[Mainsail]

You can't show people that you're following a trend by just deleting apps off your phone (or using Screen time to limit their use). 🤷‍♂

Yep. Like the girl that posted on social media that she is using a flip phone so everyone would know that she is not on social media.

 

[cthompson94]

Stuff like this always pops up on various social medias for being the next viral "in" thing. Just as there is a big boom of old school photos from point-and-shoot cameras or using old phones with the flash. In reality no one is actually using these "in" trends. Just someone or some people with high follower numbers do something to stay relevent and the flock follows.

 

[GMShadow]

I miss those devices, the stand-by time on the old Nokia I had was for-ev-er.

Newer flip phones don't last that long because they're 4G connected and basically running skinned Android. 1-2 days tops even without much use.

 

[jwolf6589]

I saw this article on CNN.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/15/business/flip-phone-gen-z-ctrp/index.html

I understand the desire to get off social media, but I am not sure I get buying another phone as the solution. Isn't it easier to just log off of social media and delete all of those apps from your phone? Then you still have the other useful features: navigation, sharing location for safety, better camera, email, wiki and reference apps, contacts, calendars, reminders, news, stocks, weather, etc...

Yes it's true in 1999-2000 and beyond people did actually call each other on the phone far more than today when most just text. I last had a flip phone in 2009 before I moved to a Blackberry Curve. I hope that the point and shoot digital camera market sales go up and not down as expected. I still prefer a Canon for my outdoor photography over a smart phone for many reasons.

 

[kitKAC]

Read the article…

I did, people are using simple FLIP phones when going out, NOT folding phones. That would defeat the entire point of what they're trying to achieve.

 

[enterthemerdaverse]

I saw this article on CNN.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/15/business/flip-phone-gen-z-ctrp/index.html

I understand the desire to get off social media, but I am not sure I get buying another phone as the solution. Isn't it easier to just log off of social media and delete all of those apps from your phone? Then you still have the other useful features: navigation, sharing location for safety, better camera, email, wiki and reference apps, contacts, calendars, reminders, news, stocks, weather, etc...

CNN is dumb when it comes to tech. REALLY dumb.

Gen Z are not moving from iPhones to flips.

 

[enterthemerdaverse]

News flash: just because a news site publishes an article with a huge over-generalization doesn't actually make it true. Seriously, I don't know anyone in the real world who is actually doing this. Not that doing so is bad for the reasons stated in the article.

I'm an older millennial, and I'm really sick and tired of seeing Boomer-owned corporate America make boogeyman out of Millennials and Gen-Z. Articles like this are trivial, but others (and en masse) are more nefarious.

If you're past middle-age and your primary conception of the younger generations is via "news" like this... well, you really ought to question who's getting played here.

They are sometimes secretly written with paid sponsorship. Especially financial media writers who almost always shills stuff without revealing their compensation.

 

[trusso]

They are sometimes secretly written with paid sponsorship. Especially financial media writers who almost always shills stuff without revealing their compensation.

Yeah, I've no doubt. It's like the stuff you see on LinkedIn all the time, too. One has to wonder what sort of agenda is being pushed.

Honestly, this isn't even a generational thing - that's just an example. Instead of insightful reporting about the real issues facing our world, we get ghost-written claptrap that tries to make us fear and hate our neighbors. It's disgusting and it needs to stop.

 

[mectojic]

Sadly such articles never represent a majority. Most youngsters are doomscroll TikTok addicts.
But as an iPhone 4 user, I can confirm that it's way easier to have a device that can't do things, rather than self-control with a modern iPhone that can reinstall apps in 5 seconds.

Oh and btw, I don't do it for attention. I don't get commisions from some news org. But in all my world experiences, no-one, literally no-one except me is using an old phone. Must be 0.001% of people max.

 

[Madhatter32]

The world was a better place when people were using flip-phones.

 

[JamesMay82]

I hate to say but I think the smart phone is massively damaging to our overall mental health. go out to any restaurant, no one is really talking to each other and this includes families. I've seen families of 4 all sat round the table on devices and occasionally they might mutter to one another.

its incredibly sad and something I too am guilty of with my family, although we are conscious of it we do try to leave them in the car.

They have the big mental health campaign in the UK of men need to talk! well they don't because they are just on their phones living with their heads in the sand.

 

[v0lume4]

I'm an older millennial, and I'm really sick and tired of seeing Boomer-owned corporate America make boogeyman out of Millennials and Gen-Z. Articles like this are trivial, but others (and en masse) are more nefarious.

I’m also a millennial, but it’s the opposite for me. I’m tired of seeing zoomers make a boogeyman out of everyone but themselves. It’s always a finger pointed at everyone else. I suppose personal accountability is growing to be an increasingly foreign word. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned going forward as gen z begins to have a bigger voice in what’s going on.

 

[BellSystem]

The dumb phones made today are all trash. No way anyone in large numbers wants to use those. Wake me up when someone makes something as well made and small like a Razr or Rokr E8. Until then it’s just disappointment in a box.

 

[v0lume4]

In regards to the article, I think it’s really cool to see people asking the question of, “Is this really a good thing?” in regards to social media. I myself stopped using it a couple of years ago and never returned. Every one of us could benefit from being a little more present. It allows to slow down. It allows us to be bored. And being bored allows us to think.

Quitting social media also allowed me to live my own life. I’m not seeing everyone else’s highlight reel. I also stopped watching and reading the news. I’m also not reading everyone else’s opinions, taking their opinions in as my own. I’m able to think for myself and draw my own conclusions for myself, from a distance. I highly, highly recommend everyone give it a try. Odds are, you won’t go back because you’ll realize how little value it was adding all along.

 

[v0lume4]

I hate to say but I think the smart phone is massively damaging to our overall mental health. go out to any restaurant, no one is really talking to each other and this includes families. I've seen families of 4 all sat round the table on devices and occasionally they might mutter to one another.

its incredibly sad and something I too am guilty of with my family, although we are conscious of it we do try to leave them in the car.

They have the big mental health campaign in the UK of men need to talk! well they don't because they are just on their phones living with their heads in the sand.

You’re right on. I watched the Social Dilemma and they mentioned the suicide and metal illness rates over the past few years. There’s a huge spike that has continued to grow since around the time that social media began to become commonplace. Surely that can’t be a coincidence.

 

[SamRyouji]

Allow me to rant...
I still have my Nokia 7200 flip phone. Still functional, but that beauty stays in my personal gallery. I'm not using it at all.
My daily driver is an iPhone 7 + cheap realme. I took deliberate efforts to stay in my current: not giving any single f#*k to any notifications until I'm done with my conversations /whatever I'm currently working on. Guess what? Lo and behold, I got roasted from my manager, my work colleagues, my friends. Just literally every damn persons on my contact list because of how slow I respond to their chat and/or not liking their posts. Like, WTF?

Really, smartphones + social media platforms has given us dread of instant gratification, further isolating closest to us and connecting us to strangers we barely knew.