Though the current generation may not remember, it was less than ten years ago that the fancy new phones on the market looked very different from the sleek smartphones of today: they were all flip phones. These days almost everyone carries an iPhone or Android phone with a large touch screen and high-quality camera. Smartphones have practically driven all other phones out of the market and the previous generation of phones have been left to the old and technologically un-savvy. But even as smartphones reach a zenith of popularity, there’s been a shift away from the phones of the future and towards an unlikely replacement: flip phones.

Why The Flip Phone?

Many people would rather lose a limb than give up their smartphone. That said, there are a number of qualities that once made flip phones charming that still hold some appeal. Flip phones are thin, lightweight, and very durable. Hanging up on someone on an iPhone just doesn’t have the same oomph as it does on an old Motorola Razr: there’s something to be said for the tactile satisfaction of slapping the phone closed. In addition, technology has given people a way to stay connected 24/7, but it’s also made staying connected all but a necessity, and people are starting to look for ways to break free of that cycle. Flip phones’ technological limitations—most of them can’t access Wi-Fi or browse the internet, and very few modern-day apps are supported on flip phones—could provide some relief. [Read more…]