5 Old Devices That Refuse To Go Extinct

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Technology is constantly evolving. Every minute of every day, someone is working to improve some piece of technology somewhere, but sometimes old tech ends up being perfect. Civilization has reached a point in time where smartphones are literal supercomputers that can do just about anything. Want to take a picture? Smartphone. Want to listen to any song you can think of? Smartphone. Need to call someone? Smartphone. And the list goes on.

Some pieces of tech are so good they refuse to go away. Okay, that's a bit of a personification because the technology doesn't "choose" anything — not until AI achieves superintelligence, at least — it's the people, the users, choosing to stick with old tech. A record player, for example, is outdated, but it hasn't gone anywhere. Vinyl collectors still genuinely prefer the sound of a record over anything else. Old flip phones are making a huge comeback, as Millennials are feeling nostalgic for their childhood and Gen Z is looking for a break from all the distractions the supercomputer in their pocket brings. There's no telling which invention will be able to survive the test of time.

MP3 players were fantastic devices that let users store all their music in one place. You no longer had to swap out a CD just because you wanted to listen to a different band, or because your seventh burned CD of '80s Pop Rock (don't judge) obviously didn't have Green Day's "Jesus of Suburbia" on it. Apple revolutionized the tech with the original iPod and its later iterations, attracting dozens of competitors, some of which became just as iconic and essential as the iPod.

In 2026, unless you're somebody who prefers single-purpose tech, you use your smartphone with one of the many major music streaming services to listen to your favorite songs. But MP3 players haven't gone the way of the Dodo. Sony, for example, makes the Walkman A-series MP3 players, though they're kind of pricey. You can find considerably cheaper options that are even more stylish (some even look like cassette tapes or players), but the point is that MP3 players are still an option if you'd prefer to listen to music in peace, without all the distractions that come with a smartphone.

People love taking photographs to capture their favorite memories, which is why a camera has been included on every smartphone since at least 2007. Unfortunately, if you want to print those pictures to frame or hang them up in your home, you have to go through a few steps that can feel like a real chore. This is why instant cameras probably aren't going anywhere. As soon as Polaroid created the first commercially successful instant camera in 1948 (the Land Camera), the technology has kind of been around ever since.

The instant camera gradually evolved, going from a large, clunky camera that produced black-and-white photos to small devices you can carry in one hand and print color pictures. Sure, the photos these cameras produce aren't masterful pieces of art that professional photographers are going to take. They're more for capturing the moment as you live it, much like most people do with their smartphone, but you get something to hold onto. They're fun to fill a wall with and are a piece of '80s tech that will put every boomer in their feelings.

Who would have thought that records would survive for so long as a viable music format? The first 12-inch long-play (LP) records came about in 1948 and have experienced varying degrees of popularity ever since. The technology is still holding strong, with multiple major vinyl player brands still manufacturing record players and plenty of musicians continuing to produce records — not to mention DJs who use turntables. Enough music people have replaced Spotify and Apple Music with vinyl that in 2025 vinyl record sales exceeded $1 billion. That hasn't happened since 1983.

There's something human about vinyl records that anyone can appreciate. Sure, they lack AI, and skipping songs requires knowing how to operate a turntable, but they give you a sense of ownership, and they simply sound good. If you are somebody who prefers more modern devices for your music, but the idea of vinyl sounds scintillating, there are plenty of multi-functional record players on the market. The Victorola Quincy 6-in-1 record player, for example, has a vintage look that goes along with any vinyl you have, but it also plays CDs, cassettes (more vintage media), and even connects to Bluetooth. With something like this, you don't have to let go of your favorite music completely. 

The average consumer, not the tech connoisseur or audiophile, likely thought that once wireless technology took off, wired headphones were a thing of the past. That couldn't be further from the truth because wired headphones are just as popular as they ever were, maybe even more so, and many still use that 3.5mm jack. Audiophiles choose wired headphones over wireless ones for their reliability, lower latency, and lack of lossy compression. In short, they sound better.

Can the wire be a bother? Sure, at times. It can get tangled, you have to roll it up when you put it away, and it can even get snagged on something if you're not paying attention. But what they offer outweighs their faults. Beyond sounding better, they're also easier to switch between devices. You don't have to wait for the headphones to pair with another device. Simply unplug from one device and plug them into another. Smartphone manufacturers may have gotten rid of the 3.5mm headphone jack, but plenty of adapters can accommodate the connection, and there are even more USB-C wired headphones if you prefer that.

Don't confuse "flip phone" with something like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold or some other flip smartphone that other Android brands are making. Actual old-school flip phones are still around, and they're making a big splash with Gen Z because they lack distractions. Gen Z will especially love Commodore's new minimalist phone, which eliminates social media but still lets them stay connected with friends. You know, like a phone.

Though they're commonly referred to as "dumb phones" (rude), they still have essentials like a Hi-Def camera, access to music, and Wi-Fi. Commodore says its Callback 8020 phone can run 99% of the apps found on Android even though it doesn't run Android, but it blocks browsers and social media to prevent endless hours of doomscrolling. The flip phone era wasn't necessarily a simpler time, but it wasn't running rampant with distractions at every turn, and that's really what everyone wants.