Engagement with social media has declined globally every year since 2023, and what has replaced that time online has been an increase in analog experiences, including buying refurbished devices that can play CDs, DVDs, vinyl records, cassettes and eight-track tapes. Sales of traditional art have been revived, while sales of digital art have declined. Sales of print books are up, while sales of e-books have slipped. Also, more bookstores are opening, and their sales of print books, vinyl records and DVDs have increased in the past year.
Essentially, the “analog ecosystem” is having a moment. Moreover, the turn to analog now also includes schools restricting smartphone use, labor shortages in building data centers, restrictions on the availability of crucial raw materials, and a resurgence of old, digital technology that keeps users offline (e.g., iPod refurbishing). While it hardly threatens the overall digital industry, this shift by consumers of how their time is spent will affect those enterprises that depend solely on individuals remaining online. As consumers move toward more analog experiences, they are expressing certain needs, including a desire to avoid higher costs and growing online fatigue, while focusing on seeking simplicity, gaining control, expanding ownership (i.e., rather than “borrowing” music via streaming) and developing a deeper personal identity. These needs are affecting the overall consumer economy.