Time Capsule: Why Gen Z Is Ditching iPhones for BlackBerrys
Time Capsule examines cultural phenomena that once shaped our daily lives but then faded—and what we can still learn from them. In this inaugural article, we explore how and why BlackBerry—the device that pioneered our always-connected work culture—is experiencing a second life among Gen Z users seeking refuge from the very digital overwhelm it helped create.
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From CrackBerry Addiction to Digital Detox Tool
Something curious is happening on eBay: Twenty-somethings are buying old BlackBerrys and posting TikToks about their vintage keyboards. Most of these buyers never owned a BlackBerry in its heyday—they’re too young, having likely gotten smartphones in middle school. Yet they’re celebrating the same device that kept their parents glued to work emails with its distinctive click-click-click rhythm.
Ironically, these young people are drawn to the very constraints that made BlackBerry seem outdated. The limited functionality, the physical keyboard, the inability to run modern apps—features that drove BlackBerry out of the market are now being celebrated as benefits.
How BlackBerry Created Always-On Culture
BlackBerry hit its global peak around 2012 with roughly 77 million users worldwide, but the device did something far more lasting—it fundamentally changed when and how we think about work and availability.
Before BlackBerry became mainstream in the early 2000s, work email lived at your desk. You checked it twice a day, maybe three times if things were busy. BlackBerry changed that by putting your entire inbox in your pocket. Suddenly, you could respond to urgent requests from dinner tables and close deals from vacation beaches. The device became more than a phone—it was a portal that collapsed the boundary between the office and everywhere else.
This shift happened gradually, then all at once. The device earned the nickname "CrackBerry" because of how genuinely addictive it became—a term that entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 2006. That red blinking light didn't just notify you about messages; it trained an entire generation to expect instant responses and feel anxious when unreachable. Company reviews from the era show employees were expected to answer emails during off-hours and vacations.
The always-on work culture we navigate today? It started with the satisfying rhythm of BlackBerry keyboards under people’s thumbs.
What Made BlackBerry Different
Understanding what BlackBerry offered compared to modern smartphones explains why some people want to go back:
Built for Creating, Not Consuming: BlackBerry was designed around composing—writing emails, crafting messages, generating content. The physical keyboard made typing feel natural and efficient. You could type without looking down. Today’s phones on the other hand optimize for consuming content: scrolling feeds, tapping apps, swiping past posts others created.
Friction That Actually Helped: Sending a BlackBerry message required over 30 key presses versus today’s 3 taps. That effort meant you only sent messages that were worth the time.
Natural Boundaries: BlackBerry couldn’t do much beyond email and calls. No social feeds, no targeted ads, no endless scroll. Limited battery life meant the device would die if you overused it, creating natural breaks. These weren’t design flaws—they were just how phones worked. Now those same constraints appeal to people feeling overwhelmed by modern smartphone design.
The Appeal of Old Limitations
On TikTok, the #blackberry hashtag is gaining traction as Gen Z discovers BlackBerry devices for the first time. According to the New York Times, young users are driving a surge of interest in these phones, purchasing refurbished models for around $40—in contrast to flagship iPhones that now cost over $1,000.
Gen Z users are drawn to what BlackBerry represents: a fundamentally different relationship with technology. The physical keyboard offers tactile satisfaction that touchscreens can’t match, while the effort required to type forces more intentional communication. Most importantly, these devices lack the apps designed to capture attention—no Instagram, no TikTok, no endless scroll.
This trend reflects broader frustrations with modern smartphones: constant notifications, infinite feeds, and the blurring of work and personal boundaries. BlackBerry’s former limitations now serve as solutions to contemporary digital overwhelm, transforming outdated constraints into deliberate choices for digital wellness and authentic self-expression.
Coming Full Circle
The device that launched our always-on culture is now helping people escape it. When Gen Z chooses old BlackBerrys over modern smartphones, they’re casting a protest vote against interfaces engineered for addiction. This reversal suggests our biggest technological challenge isn’t building more powerful devices, but designing ones that enhance rather than hijack human agency.
The BlackBerry trend may be small, but it highlights a larger tension about our relationship with technology. We wanted devices that could do everything, and we got them. Now some people are discovering that limitations can be liberating. Sometimes the most helpful technology is the kind that knows when to get out of your way.