Why demand for supposedly obsolete tech is growing

When Tony Fadell, the designer of the iPod, encountered a five-by-four-foot poster in New York City promoting the iPod Shuffle with the promise of zero screen time, he was surprised to see a product he designed over 20 years ago. Fadell recalled wondering if someone had simply forgotten to change the ad. Today, users stream music on phones with access to over 100 million songs, making the original iPod tagline of one thousand songs seem antiquated. Yet, the ad was part of a campaign by Back Market, an online marketplace for refurbished tech. Joy Howard, CMO of Back Market, reported that demand is growing for supposedly obsolete tech. According to Howard, “People are very oversaturated and overstimulated, and they really want to have a more mindful approach to what they’re doing with their tech.” This shift is part of a growing slowtech movement, where consumers seek to escape digital fatigue.

This trend is driven by an attention crisis. Smartphones are designed in some ways to be addictive, leading about 53% of American adults to state they want to reduce their screen time. Austin Murray, the founder of mobile gaming company JAMDAT and creator of the screen-time reduction app MOQA, argues that when the average daily screen time on a phone is probably like five hours, it is a product design problem rather than a lack of willpower. This desire to disconnect is also reflected in consumer spending. According to market research firm Circana, American spending on fitness trackers grew 88% year-over-year, driven by screenless wearables that allow users to monitor health metrics without constant digital distraction.

In response, companies are introducing minimalist hardware. Light, the manufacturer of the Light Phone, offers a minimalist device designed to reduce screen time, which has seen growing interest among younger users. Other startups are launching specialized devices, such as Mark, a $159 AI-enabled bookmark that helps users take notes without pulling out their phones. Beyond new hardware, consumers are resisting the tech industry’s practice of bricking—rendering hardware unusable by ending software support—to force upgrades. For instance, Back Market helps users install alternative operating systems on older laptops. Howard noted that some developers are even vibe coding—using artificial intelligence to write code for personal projects—to build custom applications that keep their older appliances and hardware functioning. Ultimately, the slowtech movement represents a pushback against digital fatigue, as consumers seek tools that serve them rather than dominate their attention.

Why it matters

The slowtech movement reflects a growing consumer desire to reduce screen time and digital fatigue. This shift is prompting companies to market retro or minimalist hardware as a way for users to regain control over their attention.