Ryley Bowman<\/span>BBC Scotland News<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Gen Z are going retro. People in their teens and early 20s are increasingly turning to old school tech in a bid to unplug from the online world. <\/p>\n Amazon UK told BBC Scotland News that retro-themed products surged in popularity during its Black Friday event, with portable vinyl turntables, Tamagotchis and disposable cameras among their best sellers.<\/p>\n Retailers Currys and John Lewis also said they had seen retro gadgets making a comeback with sales of radios, instant cameras and alarm clocks showing big jumps.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n While some people scroll endlessly through Netflix in search of their next watch, 17-year-old Declan prefers the more traditional approach of having a DVD in his hands.<\/p>\n He grew up surrounded by his gran’s collection and later bought his own after visiting a shop with a friend.<\/p>\n “The main selling point for me is the cases,” he says.<\/p>\n “There’s something about really clean cases that I love.”<\/p>\n Streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ dominate the market but Declan says he values ownership.<\/p>\n “It’s nice to have something you own instead of paying for subscriptions all the time,” he says. <\/p>\n “If I lost access to streaming tomorrow, I’d still have my favourite movies ready to watch.”<\/p>\n He admits DVDs are a “dying way of watching movies” but that makes them cheaper.<\/p>\n “I think they’re just cool, there’s something authentic about having DVDs,” he says.<\/p>\n “These things are generations old, it’s nice to have them available.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Saul, 20, has been collecting vinyl records since 2016.<\/p>\n With new vinyl albums costing about \u00a335 on average, it might seem expensive compared to streaming but Saul feels it’s worth it.<\/p>\n “It’s a more authentic sound,” he says. <\/p>\n “The grooves on the record make it feel real, you can hear the difference.<\/p>\n “It’s about having something physical you can look at instead of just scrolling through your phone mindlessly.”<\/p>\n For Saul, the appeal goes beyond sound quality. <\/p>\n “You’ve got the actual cover art, and you put the disc down yourself, it’s a hands-on experience.” he says.<\/p>\n Saul admits that vinyl’s popularity might not last forever.<\/p>\n “For a lot of people, I think vinyl is just a trend,” he says. <\/p>\n “It’s the same way things come and go, like different trends on social media. <\/p>\n “Once it becomes too expensive, people will click off it,” he says.<\/p>\n “I’ll still collect because I like to have them. I like having that option to listen.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n While most people instinctively reach for their phones to take photos, 21-year-old Aoibheann prefers the deliberate artistry of traditional cameras.<\/p>\n “There’s something about the quality of them and the style of photo you get, it’s unmatched compared to your phone.” she says.<\/p>\n “There’s more pressure with film because you’re not going to see the photo straight away, you have to wait. But that’s the novelty of it,” she explains.<\/p>\n “I’ll take my camera to birthdays, holidays, even walks,” she says.<\/p>\n Aoibheann believes the appeal of traditional cameras runs deeper than aesthetics.<\/p>\n It is rooted in nostalgia, she says.<\/p>\n “Many people are curious about the experience of using physical cameras because they grew up seeing their parents use them,” she says.<\/p>\n “Gen Z enjoys the novelty of something we don’t usually have. It’s a break from phones and instant gratification.<\/p>\n “Physical cameras are timeless. They’ll never go out of fashion because past generations relied on them.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Kyle, 21 got a PSP to relive his childhood and enjoy the nostalgic simplicity of gaming without modern hassles like updates or downloads.<\/p>\n The PSP (PlayStation Portable) is a handheld gaming console made by Sony that became an instant hit in the UK when it was introduced in 2005 but was discontinued a decade later as technology moved on.<\/p>\n “It was the first game console that I grew up with, it’s a weird feeling, it’s like a home comfort, you know? It feels retro,” he says.<\/p>\n “Obviously the screen isn’t as good, the buttons aren’t as good, it’s a lot more unreliable, but that’s not the point.<\/p>\n “When you play a modern PlayStation or Xbox, you can’t just play, you need to download updates. With a PSP, you put a game in and play”.<\/p>\n Kyle says: “Since I got it, I’ve used it almost every day. I’ve been playing Need for Speed on my PSP, it’s more addictive than any game I’ve got on my PS5.”<\/p>\n Embodying the streamlined look of early-2000s technology, the PSP resurgence could be seen as just another passing trend.<\/p>\n “I feel like there’s definitely a performative aspect to it, almost like an accessory for some people.” he says.<\/p>\n “For the majority, it’s just a fad, a trend. But for people like me, I’ll be playing this until it breaks.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"BBC](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/e332\/live\/f751f750-d123-11f0-9d18-614b3678ebf8.jpg.webp\")
BBC<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘There’s something authentic about having DVDs’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/static.files.bbci.co.uk\/bbcdotcom\/web\/20251203-121739-f954f14c69-web-2.35.1-2\/grey-placeholder.png\")
![\"Declan](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/22e0\/live\/765b0290-d0fb-11f0-8c18-0d5a89857094.jpg.webp\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘The grooves on the record make it feel real’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Saul,](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/bce6\/live\/d00e0a80-cc4b-11f0-9b9e-af0d7f67ac58.jpg.webp\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘Physical cameras are timeless’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Aoibheann](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/9c74\/live\/296e2dc0-cc4d-11f0-9b9e-af0d7f67ac58.jpg.webp\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘It’s more addictive than any game I’ve got on my PS5.’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Kyle](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/48fe\/live\/eb8fbfe0-d12f-11f0-a0cc-673bf7abfc30.jpg.webp\")
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