Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

trusso

macrumors 6502a
Oct 4, 2003
765
2,275
Ask your average boomer how old a GenXer is and how old a millennial is. They'll say GenXers are in their forties (only the younger) and millennials are in their twenties (again, only the younger).
There's overlap, sure. Gen X is hitting their fifties and I'm (*gasp*) in my mid-thirties. Boomers are anywhere from 60 to 80 right now.
 

Mainsail

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 19, 2010
2,355
3,154
I saw an article, it must be representative of reality! Certainly not from an opinion news website. Oh wait...
Well, there are really two points in the article and video report:

  1. Social Media is a major issue for some young people. This is not the first article to make that point, and I am sure there is a fair amount of research to support it.
  2. Some young people are using flip phones to help with their impulse control.
My comments were that I understand #1, but don't understand #2, since there are numerous ways to control access to social media and notifications on a smartphone that don't require giving up other useful smartphone features.

So, what exactly about this seems unreasonable or lacks credibility? Is it #1 or #2 or both? You might disagree with the notion that Gen Z are using flip phones in any significant numbers.....but, then you could just say that rather than being snarky. I thought the article was interesting, so I posted it. That doesn't mean I agree with everything in the article. There are 5 pages of comments, but if you think the discussion is not worth your time, move on to another thread.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: PauloSera

PauloSera

Suspended
Oct 12, 2022
908
1,386
Well, there are really two points in the article and video report:

  1. Social Media is a major issue for some young people. This is not the first article to make that point, and I am sure there is a fair amount of research to support it.
  2. Some young people are using flip phones to help with their impulse control.
My comments were that I understand #1, but don't understand #2, since there are numerous ways to control access to social media and notifications on a smartphone that don't require giving up other useful smartphone features.

So, what exactly about this seems unreasonable or lacks credibility? Is it #1 or #2 or both? You might disagree with the notion that Gen Z are using flip phones in any significant numbers.....but, then you could just say that rather than being snarky. I thought the article was interesting, so I posted it. That doesn't mean I agree with everything in the article. There are 5 pages of comments, but if you think the discussion is not worth your time, move on to another thread.
You do realize CNN regularly makes **** up out of thin air to see what kind of reaction they can generate, right?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: Ericdjensen

Mainsail

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 19, 2010
2,355
3,154
You do realize CNN regularly makes **** up out of thin air to see what kind of reaction they can generate, right?
Specifically, what do you think is made up? I am ok with an adult conversation about the content of the article rather than laugh emoji and snarky comments.

Do you disagree with the premise that social media has become a significant problem for many young people? Did CNN just make this up? Is there no research to support this premise? Do you disagree that Gen Z are using flip phones to aid with impulse control? Which I find somewhat doubtful because there are alternative ways of achieving the same ends, but wanted to see what others thought on a tech forum. Ergo the post.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: PauloSera

iAppleOrchard

macrumors 6502a
Feb 19, 2022
868
1,158
Colorado
I hope this isn't real. I definitely won't join this trend because flip phones are a gimmick, and I can't lose out on the Apple Ecosystem.

Also, being Gen Z myself, and being involved with a lot of trends, this trend will go away within a month.
 
Last edited:

JamesMay82

macrumors 65816
Oct 12, 2009
1,261
1,012
100% agree

It reminds me of the ST TNG episode “The Game”


MV5BNWJkM2M5MTMtM2RhMS00ZWI0LThkNTgtYjc1ODg0NGUyMjBlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQ3MjU3NTU@._V1_.jpg
yeah its really concerning. I have an 8 year old and she's really become obsessed with her iPad in the last 6 months.. just watches you tube videos and plays roblox. she refuses to watch movies usually as she just prefers you tube. my wife and I have discussed it "breaking" in the short term to give her a break from it all! and for us to get back to bike rides and going on family hikes etc... also it cant be good for her eyes being to a screen so close..
 
  • Wow
Reactions: turbineseaplane

SamRyouji

macrumors 6502
Jun 1, 2016
323
1,116
Those old devices are no longer or really hard to find in stores these days,. Personally I have no idea why one would use a tape player, CD player, or iPod in 2023. I mean you can turn off notifications on iPhone and Apple Watch.
CD player I don't know. But for cassette Walkmans, there are lots of underground indies distributing their album with tapes.
iPod? Well, many people including myself chose iPod than iPhones because of the audio chip. Some prefer iPod that have Wolfson audio chip for extra clarity on vocals and trebles, while myself and others prefer iPod with Cirrus for the extra bass oomph. My iPod nano 6th gen have Cirrus, and the ability tu turn it into a faux Apple Watch is a cherry on top.
 

jwolf6589

macrumors 601
Dec 15, 2010
4,835
1,591
Colorado
CD player I don't know. But for cassette Walkmans, there are lots of underground indies distributing their album with tapes.
iPod? Well, many people including myself chose iPod than iPhones because of the audio chip. Some prefer iPod that have Wolfson audio chip for extra clarity on vocals and trebles, while myself and others prefer iPod with Cirrus for the extra bass oomph. My iPod nano 6th gen have Cirrus, and the ability tu turn it into a faux Apple Watch is a cherry on top.
I am talking about readily available in stores like tape players were in the past.
 

SamRyouji

macrumors 6502
Jun 1, 2016
323
1,116
I am talking about readily available in stores like tape players were in the past.
In my country, Walkman/Discman always available at around 60-125 USD. The iPods all models at 40-300 USD.
In another countries? They might be as rare as pink diamonds though...
 

jwolf6589

macrumors 601
Dec 15, 2010
4,835
1,591
Colorado
In my country, Walkman/Discman always available at around 60-125 USD. The iPods all models at 40-300 USD.
In another countries? They might be as rare as pink diamonds though...
In 1992 I remember tape players were everywhere.

In fact I used a tape based voice recorder all thru my BA degree years. Tapes were in Walmart by the dozen and I would always buy dozens of them for lectures. These days students use voice recorders or even worse a phone.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: SamRyouji

lukematch

macrumors newbie
Mar 19, 2022
29
38
It's funny almost all of the examples in the article of people "switching" to a flip phone are Tweets, TikTok, etc. It simply proves that this is a BS trend that will die out in two weeks' time. As someone who goes to a high school of 1000+ kids, I can confidently say that I haven't seen a single person who is using a flip phone over their smartphone.

On the other side, I do agree that social media -in anybody, not just teens- can have a negative impact. If somebody wants to reach me, they'd better hope they have my number, because I won't get a social media app until I need to.
 
Last edited:

1557750

Cancelled
Jul 18, 2022
1,036
4,075
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…
Foldable dumb phone?

And missed what opportunity, if you’re talking about a foldable smartphone? Losing money because they put out an iPhone that leaves a crease on the screen? Because the tech still isn’t to their standards.

👊🙄👍
 

AF_APPLETALK

macrumors 6502a
Nov 12, 2020
606
848
I once had a dream that white iPods became an instagram influencer trend. Please let this be an example pre-cognition.
 

AF_APPLETALK

macrumors 6502a
Nov 12, 2020
606
848
Also as a mid-generation millennial, I wouldn't be able to stand to go back to a flip phone. An iPod? I can and do use that. But a flip phone? Nah dawg.
 

robertosh

macrumors 65816
Mar 2, 2011
1,100
920
Switzerland
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.
And we paid every sms we sent. If they start charging now for the messages, nobody will text no one.
 

OneBar

Suspended
Dec 2, 2022
575
2,001
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.
I hope you didn't cave to the pressure. I'm the same way. If you want to talk to me right now, call me. If you text, I assume a lesser level of importance to the communication. Period. I have a few banner notifications set up for a couple things but no sound or vibrate and they only work on the unlocked screen.

As for the article, my almost 19 year old chuckled and shook her head and then got back on her (my) iP8+.
 
  • Love
Reactions: SamRyouji

SamRyouji

macrumors 6502
Jun 1, 2016
323
1,116
In 1992 I remember tape players were everywhere.

In fact I used a tape based voice recorder all thru my BA degree years. Tapes were in Walmart by the dozen and I would always buy dozens of them for lectures. These days students use voice recorders or even worse a phone.
Ah...those days. Where blank cassette tapes were everywhere. What cassette recorder you used back then? In my country, Sony's were the mainstream used by almost anyone from students to journalists.
 

SamRyouji

macrumors 6502
Jun 1, 2016
323
1,116
I hope you didn't cave to the pressure. I'm the same way. If you want to talk to me right now, call me. If you text, I assume a lesser level of importance to the communication. Period. I have a few banner notifications set up for a couple things but no sound or vibrate and they only work on the unlocked screen.

As for the article, my almost 19 year old chuckled and shook her head and then got back on her (my) iP8+.
I am a determined person, so rest assured no one could cave me into pressure. I do hope that everyone around me would eventually realise this is the key to better life and start to do the same.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OneBar
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.