What’s old is new again, as the saying goes. That happens with everything from fashion to music and yes, even tech. While the technology space is characterized by products getting bigger (or smaller), better, and more powerful, sometimes the most popular products incorporate some type of throwback element. Retro and nostalgia are par for the course, and this is happening across the audio, video, mobile, photography, and other related spaces.
Audio Products Take Design Cues From Yesteryear
Speakers that look and feel like the ones our parents, even grandparents, owned are coming back in style. JBL is one company focusing heavily on this with products like its JBL Authentics line. First introduced at IFA in September 2023, the three speakers in the line sport a black foam Quadrex grille inspired by the JBL L100 that was the company’s best-selling speaker in the 1970s. The design both harkens back to decades past while also reinforcing JBL’s strength in the audio business.
JBL is also going “retro” in other ways, like with its bass-heavy JBL Boombox 3. It’s a powerhouse speaker shaped like those boomboxes from the ‘80s, but minus the cassette decks (and later CD trays). Instead, it connects via Bluetooth to a source device. It’s IP67 rated so you can take it outside and boasts up to 24-hour battery life so you can easily take it with you. Yes, it even sports a handle so you can carry it to the beach or hoist it above your head to proclaim your love to a crush.
Turntables, of course, have been coming back in style for years now. There’s an entirely new generation of customers who never experienced vinyl before but are appreciating the superior sound. The satisfaction of lifting and placing the needle and the comforting crackle of the record as it spins is unmatched. So many brands are in this space, and many are making models designed to combine both nostalgic and modern technology.
Arguably one of the coolest products in this space that’s unlike any other is the Audio-Technica Sound Burger portable turntable. It was introduced more than 40 years ago and has now been brought back with a modern twist. It’s a simple belt-drive system that can play 33 1/3 and 45 rpm records. But it also comes with an audio cable and Bluetooth connectivity. Charge it up via USB to get up to 12 hours of playback at a time. It’s a perfect product for the younger generation, blending retro vinyl with streaming.
Mobile Technology Is Flipping and Clicking
The most obvious return to the old format of phones is with the latest trend in foldables. While today’s foldable phones are far more sophisticated than older flip phones, they represent a desire to enjoy tech in a way we used to. They can flip open like a book or fold in half vertically, the latter closer in design to the phones we know from the past. But these also have smaller screens on the front – small by today’s standards but twice the size of the main screens that used to be in flip phones of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. And that’s combined with an even larger inner screen that rivals a small tablet.
Of course, the most notable of late is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, but there are many other brands making foldables today, including Google, Motorola, and OnePlus. Check out our article on the latest in foldable phones [insert link here once live] to see how much the technology has evolved.
An interesting innovation that takes us back to the BlackBerry days is the Clicks Keyboard Case for the iPhone. It fits onto the phone, plugging into the USB-C port (or Lightning for iPhone 14 models) and protects the perimeter. But at the bottom is a miniature QWERTY keyboard that’s about two inches in length. It provides tactile buttons for typing so you can compose messages, surf the web, and more using physical keys. This includes not only letters and numbers but also special symbols and characters, emojis, and anything else you can access with the on-screen keyboard.
Use the companion app to adjust backlight and certain key functions. The benefit is not only being able to enjoy mashing buttons like you did in the past, but also leaving the entire phone’s screen real estate viewable while you read through a message thread or edit a document. It’s a novelty item that older fans who have experience with smartphone keyboards might appreciate and younger generations who never used one will get a kick out of.
Photography is an Art and The Cameras Are The Canvas
The photography space is going retro in two core ways. First is with retro-styled DSLR and compact mirrorless cameras for professional photography. The second is on the complete other end of the spectrum with fun, instant cameras like the ones we used to have as kids or that were handed out at weddings. But they’re also like a combination of film-based instant cameras and the Polaroid camera because they can spit out tiny prints, too.
When it comes to the latter, Fujifilm is leading the charge with products like its Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 instant camera for taking and printing wide-format snapshots. The combination instant camera and smartphone printer has advanced features like automatic exposure, a self-timer, close-up lens for macro photography, and app connectivity, it’s an all-in-one solution for snapshots and getting wide 3.4 x 4.25-inch prints.
Kicking things up a notch is the Fujifilm Instax Mini 99 instant camera, which is retro in style and features various camera effects, shooting modes, and of course, smartphone connectivity.
When it comes to more premium cameras, Nikon is one brand that’s taking retro style seriously. The Nikon Z fc DX-format camera, introduced a few years ago, combines modern technology with retro design. As an everyday camera, it has analog controls but also a high-tech Vari-Angle touchscreen LCD that flips out to help you capture the best shots, including self-portraits. Some of the most retro finish options include sand beige and amber brown.
Technology Comes Full Circle
Twenty, 30, maybe even 40 years from now, people will look back at the technology we use today and view it as “retro” and “nostalgic.” These include the speakers we use to listen to music and watch TV, the smartphones (or other devices) we carry around to communicate and share content, and the products with which we take photos. Today’s modern tech will be dug up by someone of the newest generation who will reminisce about seeing these items lying around the house when they were kids. But it might inspire even more innovation decades from now.
Technology is ever evolving, and while it’s crucial to always look forward, sometimes it’s nice to look back for design inspiration, too.
