China’s young consumers power a Y2K tech revival

As AI infiltrates every corner of daily life, a yearning for simpler times has surfaced among China’s Gen Zers. From flip phones and wired headphones to chunky CCD cameras and Tamagotchis, young people are embracing a new wave of digital nostalgia. What began as a niche aesthetic has evolved into a full-fledged movement, signaling a shift in consumer preferences around technology. Blackpink’s Jennie and Rosé regularly accessorize with wired headphones, while rapper Central Cee was recently spotted wearing them front row at Paris Fashion Week. On Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote), the hashtag “wired headphones” (有线耳机) has garnered 215.6 million reads, “flip phones” (翻盖手机) 134.3 million views, and “traditionalflavor” (referencing old school, early-2000s technology) an astounding 2.4 billion views. Even folding-screen smartphones (a modern take on the early-2000s flip phone) have racked up more than 410 million views. A rejection of doomscrolling Born into a Chinese society experiencing rapid technological evolution, Gen Alpha and Gen Z have been chronically online since birth, resulting in widespread screen fatigue. Luxury wellness destinations worldwide have begun catering to teenagers’ digital detox desires, while this growing sentiment is also fueling a renaissance of older, low-tech devices. Greg Grigorian, Editor-in-Chief of Pop Mart’s youth-focused Playground magazine, tells Jing Daily that the publication’s young intern often expresses boredom with her phone. “Literally every 20-something [in Beijing] I know owns a CCD camera,” he adds. For Gen Z, flipping open a phone or untangling wired earphones isn’t regression — it’s something novel they weren’t around to experience firsthand. Beyond nostalgia, there’s also a desire for devices that do not constantly notify, track, or update. In other words, “dumb phones.” Sales data reflects the shift: from 2021 to 2024, 18- to 24-year-olds led a 148% spike in basic phone sales, according to a study from the journal Partners Universal Innovative Research Publication. Nokia, Motorola, and Samsung are among the most popular brands. In response, telecommunications companies have expanded their lineups of basic phones, while tech retailers now dedicate “digital detox” sections to minimalist devices. Some consumers are also gravitating toward minimalist designs from brands like Xiaomi and Qin. Videos of people using basic Chinese phones instead of smartphones are sparking conversations online, including in Western markets. Y2K fashion trend Not all retro-tech appeal is about taking a break from the algorithm. Wired headphones, for one, have become a Gen Z fashion statement — prompting luxury houses to capitalize on the trend. At the Fashion East London Fashion Week show in September 2025, models walked the runway wearing them. The debut Pierpaolo Piccioli Balenciaga campaign featured a model wearing wired earphones in bed, reframing them as luxury items. In 2024, Chanel unveiled its haute interpretation with the Première Sound Watch, a necklace-watch hybrid with integrated wired earphones priced at approximately $16,400. Digital cameras, too, are enjoying a major renaissance, particularly among young Chinese consumers. A February 2025 Nikkei Asia report found that China’s digital camera shipments rose 25% year-on-year in 2024, reaching 1.9 million units. The country now accounts for 28% of global shipment value, up 13 percentage points since 2019. The boom stems from dissatisfaction with smartphone photography, which many find overly polished or algorithmically enhanced. “I love shooting on Fujifilm and old digital cameras,” says Gen Zer Mia Zhang. Brands cashing in on nostalgia Brands across sectors are embracing this cultural shift. In Q1 2025, American startup Tin Can launched a “new-school landline” designed for kids: physical, wired phones that enable children to call each other without exposure to social media, combining safety with joyous retro charm. In China, cafés in major cities are introducing “phone-free” zones, while pop-up galleries are hosting film and CCD photography meetups. For marketers, nostalgia for old tech represents both a cultural signal and a business opportunity — one that may also signal a retreat from overly gamified strategies in China. Gen Z consumers are fluent in technology, but weary of its demands. As AI becomes increasingly pervasive, consumers are craving experiences that make them feel more human. Whether through campaigns that borrow from early-2000s visual codes, or products that evoke pre-smartphone tactility, brands have an opportunity to connect with this longing for slowness and authenticity.

Sectors

Insights

Company

China’s young consumers power a Y2K tech revival