Smartphones may be ubiquitous these days, but that doesn’t mean everyone has the same relationship with their phones. Often, factors such as age influence how a user interacts with this essential device. For example, surveys, studies, and anecdotes indicate that members of Generation Z may use their smartphones in ways that millennials might find confusing.
It’s worth noting that many stereotypes about Gen Z’s phone use are myths that can be fairly easily debunked. However, there is some evidence to suggest that smartphone use varies across generations. Since members of Gen Z grew up with smartphones, it makes sense that they approach these devices slightly differently than older users who adopted them a little later in life.
This isn’t to say that all of the unique ways Gen Z relates to smartphones are negative. Some Gen Z-specific smartphone behaviors and habits are actually very healthy compared to millennials. Although the way Gen Z uses smartphones is sometimes confusing or surprising to their elders, some of these trends may be worth adopting.
Gen Z users feel comfortable leaving their phones on, do not disturb
If you feel like being constantly connected to the digital world via your smartphone isn’t doing your mental and emotional health any favors, you might be onto something. Even Apple CEO Tim Cook says we should generally aim to limit our phone use. Despite being stereotyped as a generation addicted to their devices, it appears that Gen Z users are actually more willing than others to follow this advice.
Trends indicate that it’s not uncommon for some Gen Zers to leave their phones on Do Not Disturb mode all day. Considering that a single notification can interrupt their feed and cause them to start scrolling through their social media feeds when they should be focusing on other tasks, this is not an unreasonable practice. Rather than feeling obligated to be available at all times, they believe they have the right to determine when they can be reached and when they should focus on their peace.
This idea might surprise users who are used to responding immediately to every text, Slack notification, and even every call (apparently people still make them). For a millennial, the idea of turning off notifications for an entire day might even bring up feelings of discomfort and distress, at least initially. However, those following in Gen Z’s footsteps may ultimately realize that enforcing some digital downtime could be liberating.
Generation Z is more comfortable using the loudspeaker in public
Some of the ways Gen Zers use their phones don’t necessarily correspond to major behavioral trends. Instead, they reflect simple differences in attitudes toward cell phone use, which may vary across generations. For example, surveys indicate that most adults generally agree that it is rude to use loudspeakers in public. However, some key differences of opinion become more apparent when breaking this issue down to a generational level.
For example, as PCMag reports, surveys indicate that 87% of baby boomers consider the use of public speakers to be prohibited. Millennials also despise the habit of letting everyone within earshot hear your phone conversation. On the other hand, 41% of Gen Z survey participants indicate they think it’s OK to use a speaker in public.
This doesn’t exactly mean that Gen Z regularly engages in this behavior. That said, when nearly half of Gen Zers surveyed say this behavior is acceptable, it suggests a clear divide between how Gen Z uses their devices compared to Baby Boomers and Millennials. Sharing her insights with PCMag, etiquette expert Elaine Swann suggests that because members of Generation Z grew up with smartphones, their approach to mobile technology is more relaxed, which could take the form of greater comfort when it comes to using these devices in a visibly public way.
Gen Z can talk on the phone without talking to anyone
According to YouGov surveys, millennials and Gen Z aren’t that different when it comes to not liking the idea of talking on the phone. Although Gen Z’s feelings on this matter are more pronounced, members of both generations indicate a preference for communicating via text or email.
Of course, this involves a compromise. Talking directly to someone on the phone can be awkward, but texting can literally be physically uncomfortable. It seems Gen Z has identified what should always have been an obvious workaround: sending voice memos. With a voice memo, a Zoomer can easily record what they want to say, without having to engage in a full phone conversation.
This simple tip might confuse previous generations who simply never thought of it. That said, it reflects Gen Z’s ability to naturally adapt to the technology they’ve lived with most of their lives. In addition to being more efficient and comfortable than texting, sending voice memos allows a user to express tone much better than they could through text alone. Once again, it seems Gen Z knows what they’re doing.
Generation Z has adopted the flip phone
Of all the items on this list, this one might be the most shocking to millennials. Those of us who remember the early days of smartphones understand what a revelation they were compared to our flip phones. Seemingly overnight, cell phones went from devices reserved almost exclusively for making calls and texting to powerful computers we keep in our pockets.
However, as previously stated, this level of digital connection is not healthy. Generation Z, the generation whose upbringing was defined by this constant connectivity, understands this perhaps better than anyone. This might explain why it’s increasingly popular for Zoomers to upgrade to old-school flip phones or similar minimalist phones. Millennials might wonder why anyone would take this type of backward technological step, but Gen Z seems to understand that retro technology is sometimes better for themselves (and everyone else).
Of course, discussing this topic requires some generalization. There are certainly members of Generation Z who don’t fit all of the trends, attitudes, and behaviors discussed here. Once again, it’s only natural that different generations use their digital devices differently. Evidence shows that Gen Z, perhaps ironically, might (in some ways) have the healthiest relationship with their phones.
