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Gen Z go retro, using 1st gen iPhone SE, iPhone 6s and 5s, digital cameras to take photos

Gen Z and millennials carry two iPhones: the latest, and models a decade old for photos as part of the ‘young-tro’ – young and retro – trend

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The Apple iPhone SE is back in vogue among Gen Z and younger millennials, who use them to take photos as part of their flirtation with “retro” tech. Photo: Shutterstock
The Korea Times

Park Soo-yeon, a 22-year-old university student in South Korea, carries two iPhones: the latest iPhone 16 and a 10-year-old iPhone 5s. While she mainly uses the latest model for everyday communication, she prefers the older one for taking photos.

“Shooting with an old iPhone feels like using a vintage film camera,” Park said. “Even though I’m taking pictures in the present, they have a nostalgic feel, which makes them feel new again.”

Like Park, many young consumers are now actively seeking out older phones, a trend driven by “young-tro” – a combination of young and retro, referring to the new wave of nostalgia among Gen Z.
Instead of sleek, modern smartphones, they gravitate towards older models with physical buttons. The faded, vintage-like photo quality is another appeal.
A view of the 2022 Apple iPhone SE. Many young consumers are now actively seeking out older phones, even older than this one. Photo: Shutterstock
A view of the 2022 Apple iPhone SE. Many young consumers are now actively seeking out older phones, even older than this one. Photo: Shutterstock

Older iPhones, in particular, are experiencing a surge in popularity. The demand for the iPhone SE (1st generation), first released in 2016, has even led to the term “iPhone SE phenomenon”.

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