A refurbished iPod Shuffle advertisement in a New York City subway station has drawn attention to growing consumer interest in simpler technology. The poster from Back Market promoted the screenless music player with the phrase “zero screen time,” more than 20 years after Tony Fadell helped design the original iPod.
Fadell initially thought the advertisement had been left behind from an earlier period. The former Apple executive said seeing the product again felt like encountering a photograph of his child.
Older Devices Offer an Escape From Constant Connectivity
Back Market Chief Marketing Officer Joy Howard said demand is growing for products that do not constantly compete for users’ attention. The refurbished technology marketplace has described this preference for slower, more intentional products as “slowtech.”
The company has also campaigned against frequent device replacement and technology overproduction through its Fast Tech initiative. Howard said some consumers now view friction, such as manually choosing music or using wired headphones, as a useful boundary rather than a product weakness.
Younger consumers are showing interest in iPods, compact digital cameras, CDs, retro gaming systems, and wired headphones. These products lack many features designed to keep people connected, including social media notifications, algorithmic recommendations, and automatic uploads.
About 53% of American adults say they want to reduce their screen time. Some use blocking services such as Opal and Freedom, while others replace smartphones with flip phones, e-ink devices, or minimalist products such as the Light Phone.
Consumers Still Depend on Smartphone Services
Switching completely to a basic phone remains difficult because many everyday services now assume customers have smartphones. Banking, hotel check-ins, digital payments, transportation, and workplace communication may require mobile apps.
Screen time also includes useful activities such as video calls, messaging friends, reading, language learning, and word games. As a result, many users are seeking ways to reduce distracting activity without removing smartphones from their lives entirely.
Some companies are responding with products that perform specific tasks while keeping users away from screens. Mark, a $159 AI bookmark, lets readers record notes while reading without opening a phone and encountering unrelated notifications.
Screenless health devices are also attracting more spending. US retail revenue from fitness trackers increased 88% year over year during the first seven months of 2025, according to Circana, with smart rings contributing much of the growth.
Devices such as the Oura Ring and Whoop wristband collect health information without placing another display on the user’s body. However, they still require smartphones for viewing detailed data.
Back Market is also restoring discontinued computers and installing ChromeOS Flex so they can continue operating after their original software support ends. Howard said one company developer even created replacement software for a rice cooker after its manufacturer ended support.
Featured image credits: PICRYL
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