When iPod creator Tony Fadell saw a Back Market advertisement for the iPod Shuffle in a New York City subway station, he was startled. The poster’s tagline, “Zero screen time,” highlighted a device he helped design over 20 years ago. For Fadell, it was a surreal moment in a station full of people streaming music on smartphones with access to over 100 million songs.
This anecdote, reported by TechCrunch, illustrates a growing cultural shift. The movement, which Back Market CMO Joy Howard calls “slowtech,” is a direct response to an attention crisis created by the smartphone era. Consumers are increasingly seeking technology that serves them without dominating their lives.
Also read: EU seeks industry feedback on stablecoin rules, DeFi definitions in MiCA 2.0 consultation
What Is the Slowtech Movement?
The term “slowtech” describes a deliberate choice to use technology that is less optimized for engagement and more respectful of a user’s time. This can mean anything from buying a refurbished iPod Shuffle to switching to a minimalist phone like the Light Phone, or simply using apps like Opal and Freedom to limit screen time.
“People are very oversaturated and overstimulated, and they really want to have a more mindful approach to what they’re doing with their tech,” Howard told TechCrunch. “There’s this fatigue that we have with the need to optimize every single aspect of our life.”
Also read: Philippine SEC says legal framework ready for RWA tokenization
This desire for boundaries is reflected in market data. A recent survey indicates that about 53% of American adults say they want to reduce their screen time. The demand is also visible in the sales of screenless wearables like the Oura ring and Whoop wristband, which saw American spending grow 88% year-over-year, according to market research firm Circana.
From Retro Gadgets to AI-Powered Boundaries
The slowtech movement is not monolithic. Some participants, like writer Calvin Kasulke, use paid apps to block social media and doomscrolling. Others, like Austin Murray, a co-founder of early mobile gaming company JAMDAT, are building screen-time reduction apps like MOQA. Murray sees the issue as a product design problem, not a willpower problem.
There is also a growing market for “dumb phones.” Kaiwei Tang, co-founder of Light Phone, told TechCrunch that their customers, many of whom are between 20 and 35 years old, report feeling “more free” after switching. However, Tang acknowledges that a complete switch is impractical for many, given modern reliance on smartphones for banking and other essential services.
Even AI, a driver of “fast tech,” is being repurposed for slowtech goals. The Mark, a $159 AI bookmark, is designed to help users take notes while reading without pulling out their phone, a moment when notifications often disrupt focus. “The way we try to brand it now is this sort of analog tool, very culturally integrated with design, film, books, and literature,” founder Eason Tang told TechCrunch.
Why This Matters for Consumers and the Tech Industry
The slowtech trend signals a significant shift in consumer values. For years, the tech industry has focused on eliminating friction to maximize user engagement. Now, a segment of users is actively seeking friction as a feature to create healthier boundaries with their devices.
This pushback is also fueled by frustration with planned obsolescence. Back Market, for example, rehabs discontinued laptops and uses software like ChromeOS Flex to keep older hardware functional. “People just really want to take back control of their time, their lives, their attention,” Howard said. “They’re down for whatever helps them do that.”
The movement is unlikely to spell the end of the smartphone, but it is forcing a conversation about the ethics of attention engineering. As Fadell, who now prefers screenless wearables, noted, “I’ve always been like, ‘We need less screens, not more of them.’”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the slowtech movement?
Slowtech is a consumer-driven trend where people intentionally choose technology that is less distracting and less demanding of their attention, often opting for older or minimalist devices to reduce screen time and digital fatigue.
Why are people interested in ‘dumb phones’ again?
Many people are turning to ‘dumb phones’ like the Light Phone to escape the addictive design of smartphones and social media, seeking a more mindful and less interrupted daily experience.
Does the slowtech movement reject all modern technology?
No, the movement is not about rejecting technology entirely but about using it more intentionally. It focuses on bringing ‘friction’ back into tech use to create boundaries, rather than optimizing for fluid, constant engagement.
Be the first to comment