Gen Z has tried to cancel concealer, skinny jeans, side parts, ankle socks, top sheets, and making large purchases on computers. Now, they’re making some retro technology relevant again. Gen Z has discovered vinyl records, DVDs, Tamagotchis, radios, alarm clocks, instant (Polaroid) cameras, and more. Ironically, these types of old school items were big sellers during Amazon’s Black Friday sale. We’ve officially come full circle. The kids have discovered life without Internet integration.
Gen Z are going retro. People in their teens and early 20s are increasingly turning to old school tech in a bid to unplug from the online world. Amazon UK told BBC Scotland News that retro-themed products surged in popularity during its Black Friday event, with portable vinyl turntables, Tamagotchis and disposable cameras among their best sellers. Retailers Currys and John Lewis also said they had seen retro gadgets making a comeback with sales of radios, instant cameras and alarm clocks showing big jumps.
While some people scroll endlessly through Netflix in search of their next watch, 17-year-old Declan prefers the more traditional approach of having a DVD in his hands. He grew up surrounded by his gran’s collection and later bought his own after visiting a shop with a friend.
“The main selling point for me is the cases,” he says. “There’s something about really clean cases that I love.”
Streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ dominate the market but Declan says he values ownership.
“It’s nice to have something you own instead of paying for subscriptions all the time,” he says. “If I lost access to streaming tomorrow, I’d still have my favourite movies ready to watch.”
Saul, 20, has been collecting vinyl records since 2016. With new vinyl albums costing about £35 on average, it might seem expensive compared to streaming but Saul feels it’s worth it.
“It’s a more authentic sound,” he says. “The grooves on the record make it feel real, you can hear the difference. It’s about having something physical you can look at instead of just scrolling through your phone mindlessly.”
For Saul, the appeal goes beyond sound quality.
“You’ve got the actual cover art, and you put the disc down yourself, it’s a hands-on experience.” he says. Saul admits that vinyl’s popularity might not last forever. “For a lot of people, I think vinyl is just a trend. It’s the same way things come and go, like different trends on social media. Once it becomes too expensive, people will click off it. I’ll still collect because I like to have them. I like having that option to listen.”
While most people instinctively reach for their phones to take photos, 21-year-old Aoibheann prefers the deliberate artistry of traditional cameras.
“There’s something about the quality of them and the style of photo you get, it’s unmatched compared to your phone.” she says. “There’s more pressure with film because you’re not going to see the photo straight away, you have to wait. But that’s the novelty of it. I’ll take my camera to birthdays, holidays, even walks.”
Aoibheann believes the appeal of traditional cameras runs deeper than aesthetics. It is rooted in nostalgia, she says.
“Many people are curious about the experience of using physical cameras because they grew up seeing their parents use them,” she says. “Gen Z enjoys the novelty of something we don’t usually have. It’s a break from phones and instant gratification. Physical cameras are timeless. They’ll never go out of fashion because past generations relied on them.”
Kyle, 21 got a PSP to relive his childhood and enjoy the nostalgic simplicity of gaming without modern hassles like updates or downloads.
“It was the first game console that I grew up with, it’s a weird feeling, it’s like a home comfort, you know? It feels retro,” he says. “Obviously the screen isn’t as good, the buttons aren’t as good, it’s a lot more unreliable, but that’s not the point. When you play a modern PlayStation or Xbox, you can’t just play, you need to download updates. With a PSP, you put a game in and play. Since I got it, I’ve used it almost every day. I’ve been playing Need for Speed on my PSP, it’s more addictive than any game I’ve got on my PS5.”
Embodying the streamlined look of early-2000s technology, the PSP resurgence could be seen as just another passing trend.
“I feel like there’s definitely a performative aspect to it, almost like an accessory for some people.” he says. “For the majority, it’s just a fad, a trend. But for people like me, I’ll be playing this until it breaks.”
While I do think part of it is performative, I absolutely get the allure behind old school tech, especially in an age where technology is already overstepping its boundaries in so many ways. While there are certainly some good aspects to it, especially in the scientific and medical fields, the more negative ones are disrupting our lives. Companies are selling our data for nefarious means and AI is replacing jobs. Everything is cyclic, so it was only a matter of time before younger generations discovered and leaned into the more analog ways.
It’s funny that they’re buying these things on Amazon. It’s not just Gen Z doing this. About a year ago, my millennial husband got tired of the streaming services that we subscribed to constantly adding and removing their content. He also saw the post-election writing on the wall and started slowly weaning us all off of as much digital media as possible. He started scouring our local Buy Nothing Facebook group, Marketplace, the flea market, and local garage sales and has been buying DVDs, CDs, cassettes, gaming consoles, and the like. My kids now play the old Super Nintendo system more than they play the Nintendo Switch, which I find to be absolutely trippy. Some of those games really bring me back.
Photos credit Jorge Fakhouri Filho, Andrea Piacquadio, Cottonbro studio on Pexels