How retro tech is celebrating its return

According to the researchers, when a new technology appears, it often leads to a retro wave. From Tamagotchi to video game consoles, there are several examples of such nostalgia trends. Why is that - and why the rule does not apply to some products.

"One day everything will come back." This applies not only to fashion trends or music, but also, to a limited extent, to technical devices. There are many reasons why old lovers suddenly become gadgets again.

It sounds paradoxical, but it is even scientifically studied: “The advent of a new technology often leads to a retro wave,” says Professor Sascha Friesike from the Berlin University of the Arts. A digital innovation design expert cites as a classic example PDAs, Personal Digital Assistants, which hit the market in the 1990s: “At the same time, the expensive laptop industry was emerging.”

Suddenly, unlike before, people were willing to pay big bucks for simple laptops. “That's because you're thinking about how you actually want to do what the new technology promises,” Frisike says.

Technological journey into your own youth

There is a hint of longing for the "good old days". Manufacturers of technical devices skillfully use this. “In so-called nostalgia marketing, popular and well-known youth products are included in the advertising campaign,” explains Professor Sascha Reitel from the Free University of Berlin.

The marketing specialist emphasizes how adults' memories of their youth affect consumption. "The foods that shaped them when they were young can evoke and enhance that nostalgic feeling."