Students turn to iPods, MP3 players due to school phone bans

Phone bans in high schools across the US are driving a revival of retro gadgets, with students turning to iPods, CD players, Walkmans, and even cassette players as workarounds.

The shift follows New York City’s new bell-to-bell ban and similar restrictions in over a dozen states.

Some schools allow MP3 players if students cannot connect to the internet, while others, such as a Missouri district, have banned them since 2008.

The retro trend is fueling demand
One eBay seller reported moving 68 refurbished iPods in a single week in July, up from 22 the year before.

Students say old-school devices help them focus, decompress, and avoid distractions, even if loading music feels like a medieval thing.