It’s not surprising that people are afraid of smartphones. Despite the fact that the average person spends over four hours a day on their phones, sometimes it’s still shocking to walk down the street and be able to count on one hand the amount of people who aren’t actively engaged on their handheld device.
In recent years there’s been a surge of studies and research that enumerate the long list of negative side effects of social media and smartphones, including depression, trouble sleeping, and more.
The New York post reports that a small group of Generation Z teens are rebelling against smartphones and are now discovering the magic of flip phones. It’s worth noting that this generation has never had the pleasure of ending a conversation by decisively snapping their phone shut. It’s really satisfying.
When asked why she enjoys the flip phone so much, 22-year old McKenzie Bergin explains how reassuring it is to own a simple device that can’t do much except make phone calls. “I don’t think it’s trying to get anything out of me. I don’t think it’s trying to identify me to advertisers. I don’t think it’s capable of much, which is kind of nice,” she explains.
A recent study from Gartner claims that, for the first time in years, smartphone purchases have decreased 5.6 percent. That might not be much in the grand scheme of things, but it’s a significant statistic nonetheless. Maybe this reticence towards technology is a rising trend.
Hopefully we’ll grow out of smartphones like humans tend to grow out of most trends, especially those that harm them. It’s unlikely though; one of the latest bit of technological news is that Samsung is developing a smartphone that’s capable of folding, which can become today’s equivalent of the flip phone. You only have to be much more careful with the screen.
