Going old school: Ottawa teen flips the script on smartphones | CBC News

· Posted: May 05, 2024 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: May 5

Everything old is new again, at least for one Ottawa teenager.

Gavin MacNeil is calling up a fixture of his parents' generation and swapping his state-of-the-art iPhone for a flip phone.

For anyone under the age of 30, flip phones were mobile devices without touch screens, cameras or social media apps that had to be "flipped" open to make a call. Most had a basic number pad, but few other buttons or features.

Some flip phones even had a telescopic antenna for better reception.

They hit peak popularity in the early 2000s, but mass production ended by the mid-2010s.

For some, the very idea of ditching their smartphone might seem impossible, but for MacNeil, a Grade 11 student at École secondaire publique De La Salle, it had to be done.

"I could feel a huge addiction to my smartphone and social media," he told CBC. "I went to the extreme of getting rid of my [smartphone] completely, and that's what brought me to a flip phone."

MacNeil has jumped aboard a retro trend that has seen a surge in popularity of such ancient artifacts as tape cassettes and mullets. 

So what can MacNeil do on his phone?

"Calls and texts."

If the thought of texting with such archaic technology causes instant feelings of anxiety, you're likely over the age of 35.

That's because with most basic flip phones, there was no QWERTY keyboard. Instead, texts were sent by "multi-tapping" the number keys to type the corresponding letters. To type the letter C, for example, you'd have to hit the 2 key three times. 

Simple, right? MacNeil said he's been getting the hang of multi-tapping since making the switch.

"It takes me a while to text, but I get there," he said.

LISTEN | Ottawa teen trades in his smartphone for a flip phone

Ottawa Morning5:32Ottawa teen trades in his smartphone for a flip phone

MacNeil has had to give up some modern conveniences such as music on demand, which he used to enjoy on his iPhone on the way to school.

"I had to just, you know, enjoy the bus ride," he said. "I would look around and everyone's trying to distract themselves. They're all on their phones or listening to music."

So what do his friends think of MacNeil's flip phone?

"Most of them find it pretty cool," he said, adding one plans to buy a flip phone for herself.

But others aren't quite as ready to embrace the retro. "They might not understand completely," MacNeil said.

His switch comes as the Ontario government prepares to tighten rules around cellphone use in classrooms, starting this September. 

WATCH | Why Ontario is banning cell phones in classrooms for students

Why Ontario is banning cell phones in classrooms for students

It's a move the government said is aimed at removing distractions and improve mental health among youth.

MacNeil said he's happy he decided to make that call himself.

"I just feel more open. I feel like I was wearing sunglasses my whole life and I just took them off," he said.

With files from CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning