I can remember growing up and observing all of the adults around me using phones that flipped open and shut before they were forced out of popularity with the advent of the iPhone.
Well flip phones are back—or at least trying to come back.
Thanks to viral TikTok videos of creators using flip phones and documenting their experiences, the hashtag #bringbackflipphones has over 25 million views on the app.
So, what is it about flip phones that is suddenly so appealing to Gen Z and myself? Well, some experts claim they can improve mental health, are satisfying to use, are more durable than smartphones and are part of a modern fascination with retro technology.
Flip phones improve mental health
Many TikTok creators seem to have many positive things to say about using a flip phone, including the impact it has had on their mental health. They believe smartphones have a negative effect on young users, and flip phones provide a less distracting and stressful alternative when going out with friends.
Some negative effects smartphones can have on users include:
- Poor sleep patterns
- Concentration and learning issues
- Less physical activity
- Eyesight problems
- Lack of personal communication
I personally can think of many times when I have been out in public with the opportunity to socialize and meet new people but instead have retreated to the comfort of my phone.
Flip phones are satisfying to use
I was watching one of my favorite TV shows, Breaking Bad, last summer when I realized the protagonist Walter White used a flip phone. White was often shown flipping his phone open to check a text message or aggressively flipping it shut to end a phone call. There was something satisfying about the way the character did both of these actions.
Imagine you are in an argument on the phone, and instead of touching a button on the screen to hang up, you slam your phone shut with a satisfying sound to highlight your anger. This is a feature phone manufacturers should have never gotten rid of.
Another bonus of using a flip phone is how cool you’ll look when you pull your phone out of your pocket and whip it open. It might make you feel like a spy with a cool new gadget or a business person from the 2000s.
Flip phones are durable
Both of my parents had flip phones when I was a kid. They were fascinating at the time and seemed almost indestructible. I can recall a few times when my mom accidentally dropped her phone just to pick it up with only a few minor scratches to show. Now, with smartphones being used by the vast majority, every time we drop our phones we have a quick moment of panic before we pick it up to see if the screen has shattered or if it’s broken in any other way.
Flip phones typically have the screen fully protected when the phone is off and folded while the other parts of the phone are built in very durable and long lasting ways.
Flip phones are retro
After I finished “Breaking Bad,” I spent the next few weeks searching thrift stores to find working flip phones with no success. At the same time, I was trying to convince my friends that they should get one too by telling them it could be a secret form of communication within our friend group. I then realized I had become a victim of this growing trend, and I was fully onboard with it.
Gen Z seems to have a fascination with old trends and technology while other generations don’t. In other words, retro is the new normal. Flip phones join a list that includes polaroids, bucket hats and thrift shopping, so what is it that makes retro technology and fashion so appealing?
Well, it’s nostalgia.
Retro tech may make us feel like we are living in a more simple and stress-free time that we may remember from our childhoods. It makes us feel comfortable and briefly forget about the problems we are facing as adults. It also allows us to feel more like the people we grew up idolizing.
Flip phones today may include modernized features
Now, I know you’re thinking flip phones are lacking many of the everyday features you rely on by using a smartphone like maps, high-quality cameras and internet access. However, there are many solutions to this problem if you do decide to go the flip phone route.
After spending 30 days with only a flip phone, TikTok creator @imacrispynugget decided he was going to continue to use his flip phone a majority of the time. He will only use his smartphone when navigating somewhere or when in need of a personal hotspot for his computer.
Many modern flip phones are also much more advanced than those of the 2000s. Some even include things such as Google Maps and internet search bars.
If you haven’t already jumped on the bandwagon of using a flip phone, I suggest you do.
