Gen Z Is Buying This 13-Year-Old iPhone For Its Retro Camera

Apple's iPhone lineup has come a long way over the past decade, and the newest models pack what Apple claims are some of the most advanced cameras you can find on a smartphone. However, it seems that a lot of people are more interested in the company's past devices, more specifically the iPhone 5c. According to some reports, interest in the iPhone 5c has skyrocketed over the past year, with searches for "buy iPhone 5c" up a whopping 40,500%.

It isn't just people looking to purchase the device, either. Searches for "iPhone 5c camera" specifically have climbed over 1,800%. So why are people suddenly interested in the iPhone 5c despite it being a smartphone that was released in 2013? Well, it appears that the entire thing has to do with Gen Z and its growing interest in retro cameras as well as the "Y2K aesthetic" that they bring. As it turns out, the iPhone 5c is pretty good for it.

Of course, the iPhone 5c isn't the only older tech making a bit of a comeback. 2000s digital cameras are also cool again, and that trend has only gotten bigger since it first popped up. Canon, which makes the popular PowerShot line of point-and-shoot cameras, saw a nearly sevenfold jump in sales for PowerShot sales between 2022 and 2025. On the other hand, retailers like eBay have also seen a massiveincrease in searches for iPods, CDs, and Walkmans, as more people look for ways to separate themselves from their smartphones.

When it comes to cameras, though, much of the appeal comes down to how the photos look. Modern smartphones have a lot of post-processing involved, especially with newer phones like the Galaxy S26 Ultra. On top of that, AI is now in the mix, too. While there is certainly an argument to make for how much processing can help make an image stand out, some users just want their photos to feel more natural.

Much like the older digital cameras we've seen making a comeback, the iPhone 5c offers that same charm. Its 8-megapixel camera is great at capturing that older look, and because it doesn't have any of the fancy image processing found in newer iPhones, the photos come out looking like they were taken in 2013.

Apple first released the iPhone 5c in September 2013, alongside the iPhone 5s. Unlike the 5s, the iPhone 5c featured a plastic body that came in five bright colors — blue, green, pink, yellow, and white — and it originally sold for $99 on a two-year contract, or for $549 unlocked.

Thirteen years later, picking up an iPhone 5c will cost you substantially less. You can often find used iPhone 5c models on eBay for anywhere between $30 and $70. A lot of the price will also depend on the storage and condition. Some sellers are asking $150 to $200 for open-box models that have barely been touched, but you don't need to spend that much to get one that works.

It's also important to know that the iPhone 5c is one of a few iPhone models you should avoid in 2026 if you want to actually use it as your daily device. The last update that Apple released for it was iOS 10.3.3, which came out almost 10 years ago. That means it hasn't seen a security fix in almost a decade. Additionally, many of the apps you might want to use to edit or post your photos won't even support it, as apps like Instagram require iOS 16.3 or later to work.