The youngster says she will ‘never go back’ to taking her smartphone on nights out. Photo / TikTok @skzzolno
The youngster says she will ‘never go back’ to taking her smartphone on nights out. Photo / TikTok @skzzolno
If Millennials need any further proof they are getting old, Gen Zers are going back to using “vintage” flip phones on their nights out.
For the Millennials who kept that old Motorola V3 Razr in the back of their drawer for more than a decade “just in case” you ever needed it again – it is your time to shine.
An increasing number of young people are ditching their smartphones in favour of old-school flip phones, with social media flooded with videos of people showing off their devices and teaching others how to use them.
The flip phone trend is also taking off in Australia, with one TikTok user racking up thousands of views after showing off the Motorola V3 Razr that she got for Christmas.
Sydney woman Audrey filmed herself unpacking the phone, putting in a SIM card and going through all the features on the device, such as setting up a ringtone, playing old games and, of course, taking selfies with the camera.
“Setting up my Motorola Razr V3 flip phone and this is literally the most excited I’ve ever been,” she captioned the video.
The ‘retro’ look provided by the camera is one of the main draws for many younger people. Photo / TikTok @audreycaramello
There are even TikTok creators who have shot to popularity purely because they have been preaching the benefits of flip phones.
User @Skzzolno, who goes by Sammy K, has claimed her flip phone is the “best thing I’ve ever bought” and has multiple videos dedicated to why she prefers the older style phone over a new device.
The university student said she spent four hours searching for the right phone and ended up choosing the AT&T Cingular Flex flip phone, which is sold on Amazon for around $50.
She said one of the main reasons she switched to a flip phone was so she didn’t need to take her regular phone on nights out.
“I just noticed I was using social media too much, taking myself out of the moment when I was out. So I was like, let’s just get rid of the phone completely and go to a flip phone,” Sammy said.
The TikTok user said she was already taking a disposable camera when she was going out, so her phone was really “just used for scrolling”.
The university student says she has influenced millions of people to get flip phones and teaches how to get the photos they take on their flip phone on to their smartphone. Photo / TikTok @skzzolno
“I just naturally transitioned to the flip phone and it has been the best change I have ever made. The photos feel exactly like your head space does at that time because they are blurry and grainy and you can’t really tell what is going on in them. So it is just a win-win,” she said.
If you want a hit of nostalgia, Sammy has also shared some of the pictures she has taken with her flip phone, which will no doubt bring back memories of the grainy photos we used to endure before smartphones came along.
The university student has received millions of views purely for talking about her flip phone, and even has videos showing her followers how to take out the battery, put in a SIM card and how to get the photos from the device.
This isn’t the first so-called “retro” item that has become popular among Gen Z kids in recent years.
Young Aussies have been seen using digital point-and-shoot cameras to take their photos while out, with one 21-year-old labelling the device “vintage”.
“Nothing has made my college experience more fun than having a flip phone when I go out,” she said.
“The amount of people that are like, ‘Oh my God are we back in the 2000s?’ They come up to you, want to take a photo on it. It is the best thing ever; you guys should just get it. I would never go back.”
