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The steep plunge in used car prices — what it means, and what’s ahead

The steep plunge in used car prices — what it means, and what’s ahead


New York
CNN
 — 

Monitoring utilised car or truck rates is ample to give anybody whiplash.

Given that the commence of the pandemic and the resulting disruptions to new car or truck supply chains 1st despatched charges soaring, used motor vehicle prices posted their most significant once-a-year improve on record – up 45{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in the 12 months ending in June 2021, in accordance to the Shopper Value Index – before swinging to a 12-thirty day period fall of 8.8{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in the most recent studying for December.

That was the most important 12-month plunge in charges for used cars due to the fact June 2009, when Normal Motors and Chrysler have been equally in individual bankruptcy proceedings and the financial state was hemorrhaging a 50 percent-million jobs a thirty day period.

“It was a fully wild ride,” mentioned Ivan Drury, director of insights at Edmunds.com Inc., an on line means for stock and details on cars.

Information from Edmunds demonstrates the common rate of a used car obtain in December at $29,533, down approximately $1,600 from the history superior of $31,095 arrived at in April 2022. Today’s common employed automobile rate is about the very same as the common new vehicle cost as not long ago as 2010.

Whilst the charges of late design utilised automobiles are down only 5{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} off their peak according in accordance to Edmunds, the selling price of older utilised automobiles, those 5 several years or more mature, have fallen 15{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} or additional from their peaks early in 2022.

Industry experts say motives for the drop contain better curiosity fees that make it additional expensive to finance a automobile obtain, restricting need. CarMax

(KMX), the nation’s largest pure used vehicle vendor, has warned that the combination of superior prices and higher fascination fees is creating an affordability challenge for lots of customers, hurting overall need.

But the major explanation for the fall in employed vehicle costs is the elevated offer of new autos.

It was the deficiency of new auto inventory that drove up charges. Pieces shortages, particularly for computer system chips, experienced choked off output of new automobiles in significantly of 2022, creating the cheapest degree of total-12 months US new car gross sales since 2011.

The reduced supply of new vehicles caused an even larger leap in the ordinary rate of made use of cars, as customers who would otherwise invest in new motor vehicles turned to the employed automobile industry.

“At just one level it seemed that every person who was heading to purchase new ended up shopping for made use of,” explained Greg Markus, executive vice president of AutoLenders, parent corporation of New Jersey’s greatest applied auto dealership chain.

That provided rental motor vehicle providers, which ahead of the pandemic ordinarily bought about 10{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} or more new cars for every calendar year. With limited stock of automobiles to sell, automakers effectively stopped generating decrease-priced fleet profits, and even rental automobile firms have been forced to flip to the utilised auto market place.

All that has started out to change in latest months. Automakers are reporting extra materials of the chips they will need, and are manufacturing and advertising more vehicles, which include a return of fleet profits. General, gross sales have been up 9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in the fourth quarter as opposed to a year ago, and approximately 6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} higher than in the third quarter, in accordance to Cox Automotive. And with additional purchasers acquiring the new autos they want, that indicates lessen desire for employed automobiles.

Specialists say part of the decline in used car price ranges is that the cost improves were not sustainable and ended up partly driven by potential buyers at utilised motor vehicle auctions overpaying for the confined offer of employed vehicles.

“There was nowhere for these rates to go but down,” claimed Markus.

There could be far more declines in utilized automobile costs in the months in advance, as new car or truck inventories go on to make. One particular matter that could set a ground under the made use of car costs: late product used vehicles will likely be in shorter provide offered the reduced new car or truck manufacturing around the very last three decades.

“The supply situation is however grim,” mentioned Markus. Because of that, “I do not think we’re getting down to 2019 amounts,” he additional.

The run-up in utilised automobile selling prices was a important driver in the nation’s in general inflation fee, including about a full percentage stage to the all round boost in consumer costs from April of 2021 via Could of 2022. Now it is a factor encouraging to provide down the pace of inflation, shaving much more than a third of a place off the general fee in December.

This is clearly good news for those people seeking or needing to obtain a applied vehicle, nevertheless it can have a damaging outcome on vehicle prospective buyers by decreasing the benefit of automobile they hope to trade in. Edmunds displays the normal trade-in benefit in December down practically $3,000, or 11{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, to $22,605, from the report high strike in June of 2022.

That fall in the benefit of trade-ins could also be a headwind on auto charges by cutting down what purchasers are in a position to pay.

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Nutson’s Weekly Auto News Wrap-up January 8-14, 2023

Nutson’s Weekly Auto News Wrap-up January 8-14, 2023

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Nutson’s Auto News Weekly-Wrap-up January 8-14 2023

Every Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Car Guy and Auto Channel Executive Producer, with able assistance from senior editor Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, compile The Auto Channel’s “take” on this past week’s automotive news, condensed into easy to digest news Nuggets.

LEARN MORE: Complete versions of today’s news nuggets, along with thousands of pages of relevant news and opinions, information stored in a million-page library published and indexed on The Auto Channel during the past 25 years. Complete information can be found by copying a headline and inserting it into any Site Search Box.

Here are Larry’s picks among the past week’s important, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions and insider back stories presented as expertly crafted easy-to-understand automotive universe news nuggets.

* Kelley Blue Book released its December new vehicle average transaction price (ATP) report with record-breaking data, as prices are up 4.9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} overall from 2021. The average price paid for a new vehicle in December was $49,507—a record high and up nearly $1K from November. Truck sales were particularly strong last month, more than 270,000 sold for the first time since the spring of 2021, and the average price paid for a new truck was more than $59,000. And, on the decrease are EV prices which went down more than $3,500 month over month with Tesla slashing prices and commanding more than 65{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the electric vehicle segment.

* The recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act brought about changes in the electric vehicle tax credit. If an individual bought and placed in service a new qualified plug-in electric vehicle (EV) or fuel cell vehicle (FCV) on January 1, 2023 or later and meet certain income limitations, they may be eligible for a clean vehicle tax credit up to $7,500 under Internal Revenue Code Section 30D. A new price limitation prescribes that the vehicle not exceed a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of $80,000 for vans, sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks and $55,000 for other vehicles. Of interest is the classifiction of some vehicles by the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service. For example they did not classify the Cadillac Lyriq as an SUV, meaning its retail price cannot be above $55,000 to qualify for up to $7,500 in federal tax credits. Similarly the Chevrolet Bolt EUV, Ford Mach-E and Escape PHEV, Lincoln Corsair, select VW ID.4 models and the Tesla model Y with 5-seats cannot excedd the $55,000 limit. The IRS is following the 40 CFR 600.002 criteria that legally defines vehicle types. Recenlty, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said she thinks there is a sense of understanding from industry and consumer groups ‘about what the credits will entail and what will be eligible.’ PS: Not all so-called SUVs are in reality an SUV.

* U.S. DoE factoid of the week: The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Vehicle Technologies Office estimates the cost of an electric vehicle lithium-ion battery pack declined 89{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} between 2008 and 2022 (using 2022 constant dollars). The 2022 estimate is $153/kWh on a usable-energy basis for production at scale of at least 100,000 units per year. That compares to $1,355/kWh in 2008. The decline in cost is due to improvements in battery technologies and chemistries, and an increase in manufacturing volume.

* According to NHTSA the number of traffic deaths on U.S. roadways fell slightly during the first nine months of 2022, but pedestrian and cyclist deaths continued to rise. NHTSA estimates that 31,785 people were killed in crashes from January through September last year, down 0.2{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} from the same period of 2021. The number of cyclists killed in crashes rose 8{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} compared with a year earlier, while motorcyclist deaths rose 5{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and pedestrian deaths were up 2{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. NHTSA said that Americans are driving more than during the height of the pandemic, with preliminary Federal Highway Administration data showing a 1.6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} increase in vehicle miles traveled in the first nine months of last year.

* Inrix published the 2022 Global Traffic Scorecard that identified and ranked congestion and mobility trends in more than 1,000 cities, across 50 countries. Chicago (155 hours), Boston (134 hours), and New York (117 hours) lost the most time to traffic congestion in the U.S. and were all in the top five for most congested cities in the world, alongside London (156 hours) and Paris (138 hours). The typical American driver lost 51 hours in congestion, up 15 hours from 2021 but still nearly 50{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} below pre-pandemic levels.

* The head of the National Transportation Safety Board expressed concern about the safety risks that heavy electric vehicles, such as the 9,000-pound GMC Hummer EV, pose if they collide with lighter vehicles. “I’m concerned about the increased risk of severe injury and death for all road users from heavier curb weights and increasing size, power, and performance of vehicles on our roads, including electric vehicles,” Jennifer Homendy said in remarks prepared for the group. Also of concern is electric vehicles have very high horsepower ratings, allowing them to accelerate quickly even in crowded urban areas. “People are not trained to handle that type of acceleration,” said Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety.

* The Biden-Harris Administration released the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization. Developed by the departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Blueprint is a landmark strategy for cutting all greenhouse emissions from the transportation sector by 2050. It exemplifies the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach to addressing the climate crisis and meeting President Biden’s goals of securing a 100{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} clean electrical grid by 2035 and reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

* According to research from S&P Global Mobility, the US will need more than 2.3 million chargers for electric vehicles by 2030 to service the projected 28 million EVs on the road by then. “Developments in battery technology, and how quickly EVs can receive power, will be as critical to improvements here as how quickly and plentifully infrastructure can provide the power,” said Graham Evans, research and analysis director for S&P Global Mobility.

* More than 90{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of vehicle-owning households in the United States would see a reduction in the percentage of income spent on transportation energy—the gasoline or electricity that powers their cars, SUVs and pickups—if they switched to electric vehicles. And more than 90{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of households that replace gas-powered vehicles with EVs would also reduce the amount of climate-warming greenhouse gases they generate, according to a new University of Michigan study. However, more than half of the lowest-income U.S. households (an estimated 8.3 million households) would continue to experience high transportation energy burdens, defined in this study as spending more than 4{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of household income on filling the tank or charging up. Hat tip to our friends at The Detroit Bureau.

* Rolls-Royce has achieved its highest-ever annual sales in 2022, delivering a total of 6,021 motor cars, up 8{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} on 2021, to clients in around 50 countries worldwide. This is the first time in the company’s 118-year history that its sales have exceeded 6,000 in a single 12‑month period. The USA was once again the marque’s largest overall market as a new generation of younger American entrepreneurs, wealth generators and job creators were drawn to Rolls-Royce for the first time, according to Rolls-Royce.

* Check back next week: Chevrolet plans to introduce the Corvette E-Ray on Jan. 17. The E-Ray, a gasoline-electric version of the eighth-generation sports car, also adds all-wheel drive for the first time.

* The 2023 NACTOY winners were announced. The Acura Integra is the 2023 North American Car of the Year. The Kia EV6 is the 2023 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Ford F-150 Lightning is the 2023 North American Truck of the Year. Congratulations to the winners. PS – The Detroit Free Press choices we mentioned last week were right on.

* Hertz believes in the saying “Let the good times roll.” Whether you’re planning a night out on the town for a big birthday; looking to arrive in style for your bachelorette party; or celebrating a milestone anniversary, you can celebrate your next exciting moment with a rental vehicle from Hertz complete with a custom-wrapped exterior. Hertz offers 19 different designs to choose from.

Ezoicreport this ad

* Reuters reports Federal vehicle safety regulators said they want Tesla officials to explain a tweet by Elon Musk suggesting he could order a software update that turns off the system that nags drivers to keep hands on the wheel while a Tesla driver operates the vehicle on Autopilot. Acting National Highway Traffic Safety Administration chief Ann Carlson said Monday that the agency is working “really fast” on its investigation of Tesla and Autopilot safety.

* A fire broke out at Guangzhou, China auto show on the eve before it opened. The fire, in IAT Automobile Technology Co. booth, was caused by an accident involving an external power switch, according to a company statement. The show opened with no delay and is currently running.

* Kevin Harvick announced that the 2023 NASCAR season will be his final season in the Cup Series. Harvick, 47, is in the last year of his contract with Stewart-Haas Racing and had previously said that an announcement would be made regarding his future before the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 19. Harvick was thrust into the Cup Series in 2001 after the death of Dale Earnhardt. He took over Earnhardt’s renumbered No. 29 car for Richard Childress Racing the week after Earnhardt died in the 2001 Daytona 500. Harvick then went on to be one of the most successful drivers of the 2000s. Overall, Harvick has scored 60 wins in 790 Cup Series starts and is a surefire NASCAR Hall of Famer on the first ballot

Stay safe. Be Well.

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Drinking too much coffee doubles mortality risk

Drinking too much coffee doubles mortality risk

Collage of cups of coffee on a white backgroundShare on Pinterest
Drinking 2 or more cups of coffee daily may increase mortality rates in people with severe hypertension, researchers say. Alessia Pierdomenico/Bloomberg via Getty Images
  • A recent study in Japan found a connection between drinking 2 or more cups of coffee per day and increased mortality rates in people with severe hypertension.
  • Severe hypertension is another way of describing high blood pressure.
  • The cohort study, which included just over 18,000 men and women, lasted nearly 2 decades.
  • While the study authors found that 2 or more cups of coffee raised the risk, they did not find any risks associated with 1 cup of coffee or green tea for people with severe hypertension.

While many people cannot get started in the morning without coffee, a recent study indicates that some may need to practice caution with their coffee consumption.

The researchers found that drinking 2 or more cups of coffee per day may double mortality rates in people with severe hypertension.

They also noted that 1 cup of coffee is 8 ounces — and that anything beyond that may pose health risks in people with severe high blood pressure.

The results of the study were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

According to the American Heart Association(AHA), hypertension occurs when “the force of blood flowing through your blood vessels is consistently too high.”

Unhealthy lifestyle choices often lead to developing high blood pressure, such as eating foods high in cholesterol and not getting regular exercise. Additionally, health conditions like diabetes can factor into developing hypertension.

A blood pressure reading consists of two numbers: the systolic number (higher number) and the diastolic number (lower number).

The AHA includes five blood pressure categories:

  • normal blood pressure (less than 120 over less than 80)
  • elevated blood pressure (120–129 over less than 80)
  • high blood pressure or hypertension stage 1 (130–139 over 80–89)
  • high blood pressure or hypertension stage 2 (140 or higher over 90 or higher)
  • hypertensive crisis (higher than 180 over higher than 120)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), high blood pressure can be a “silent killer” since people do not always experience symptoms and may not know they have high blood pressure unless they see a doctor regularly or self-monitor.

When high blood pressure is untreated, it can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

If someone is diagnosed with high blood pressure, they may treat it by making lifestyle changes or taking medications such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or calcium channel blockers.

The study authors used information from participants in the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk. They analyzed data from 18,609 people (6,574 men and 12,035 women).

The participants were 40 to 79 years old when the cohort study began between 1988 and 1990.

The cohort researchers took the participants’ blood pressure reading at the beginning of the study, as well as other medical background information and followed up with them over 18.9 years.

The coffee study authors were interested in how the participants’ coffee and green tea consumption habits factored into their blood pressure scores and heart-related deaths.

The researchers placed the participants into one of five categories based on their blood pressure readings (the categories vary somewhat from the AHA):

  • optimal and normal blood pressure (less than 130 over less than 85)
  • high‐normal blood pressure (130–139 over 85–89)
  • grade 1 hypertension (140–159 over 90–99)
  • grade 2 hypertension (160–179 over 100–109)
  • grade 3 hypertension (180 and higher over 110 and higher)

Since many participants did not have grade 2 and 3 hypertension, the researchers combined the data for these groups.

After placing the participants into categories based on their blood pressure readings, the researchers considered their coffee and green tea drinking habits. The participants indicated the frequency and amount of consumption.

For context, an 8-ounce coffee contains 95 to 200 mg of caffeine, making coffee more caffeinated than some energy drinks. Green tea contains approximately 35 mg of caffeine.

Over the course of the study follow-up, the researchers recorded 842 cardiovascular-related participant deaths.

The results of the study showed that people with grade 2 and 3 hypertension who drank 2 or more cups of coffee per day had twice the cardiovascular-related death mortality rate compared to people in the same category who did not drink coffee.

”These findings may support the assertion that people with severe high blood pressure should avoid drinking excessive coffee,” senior author Dr. Hiroyasu Iso, director of the Institute for Global Health Policy Research in Tokyo, told Medical News Today.

The study findings also showed that drinking 1 cup of coffee did not increase the risk for anyone across any blood pressure categories.

Just 1 cup of coffee can contain nearly 3 times the amount of caffeine as 1 cup of green tea, but the researchers did not detect issues with green tea regardless of the amount consumed.

The study authors believe this is due to the “mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of green tea,” which is the compound epigallocatechin-3-gallate, “the most abundant polyphenol in green tea.”

The authors noted that animal studies of green tea shows that epigallocatechin-3-gallate can positively affect oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, and improve lipid profiles.

“These beneficial effects of green tea catechins may partially explain why only coffee consumption was associated with an increased risk of mortality in people with severe hypertension despite both green tea and coffee containing caffeine,” the authors wrote.

“This study supports the implication that heavy coffee consumption can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality among people with severe hypertension, while green tea consumption does not increase the risk,” Dr. Jayne Morgan, a cardiologist and clinical director of the Covid Task Force at the Piedmont Healthcare Corporation in Atlanta, GA, told MNT.

Yelena Wheeler, RDN, a clinical dietitian with the Measurement Instrument Database for Social Sciences (MIDSS) in Los Angeles, CA, also spoke with MNT about the study findings:

“The study pointed out that ‘heavy’ coffee consumption was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality with people who were already suffering from severe hypertension. This seems somewhat of an obvious cause and effect; however, not finding any increased risk of CVD mortality amongst those in all categories who consumed green tea was an interesting twist.”

Wheeler added it would be interesting to see further research into the habits of people who consume coffee versus green tea, such as the types of jobs they hold or whether they practice mindfulness and meditation.

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Gen Z loves the flip phone

Gen Z loves the flip phone


New York
CNN
 — 

First, it was disposable cameras. Then it was low-rise jeans. Now, Gen-Z’s latest “vintage” obsession is the flip phone – that mid-1990s era phone that has suddenly become oh so popular with millennials.

Today, these smaller, lightweight devices – some available for as little as $20 at big box retailers like Walmart and Amazon – are showing up in TikTok videos of young people unboxing them, bedazzling their cases just as earlier generations did, and filming tutorials on achieving a carefree, blurry aesthetic through the low quality camera.

But most importantly, they love the ability to disconnect – or as much as that’s even possible in 2023.

“I’m team flip phone revolution,” singer Camila Cabello tweeted Thursday, posing with a TCL flip phone, vintage. “Maybe I can write the theme song.”

Camila Cabello with her flip phone.

Actress Dove Cameron, who rose to fame on the Disney Channel’s “Liv and Maddie” show, said in a November interview that she had switched to a flip phone. Spending too much time on her phone and looking at social media “is really bad for me,” she said.

“I found a little 90s, Matrix-y flip phone,” Cameron said. “I got a separate number for it, it’s really cheap and I think probably really sh*tty.”

Cameron said she unplugged and switched over because she found her social media presence “misleading.” The feeling is prevalent among Gen Zers – and its impact has been linked to a teen mental health crisis.

As smartphones and social media became more ubiquitous around 2012, so did the rate of depression among teens, psychologists say. Between 2004 and 2019 the rate of teen depression nearly doubled, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which is a part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Sammy Palazzolo, 18, a freshman at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has a new routine with her phone when she goes out at night with friends.

She and her friends listen to the latest music on their smart phones as they get ready. Then, when it’s time to leave, they leave those smart devices behind.

Instead, they contact each other only through their flip phones throughout the night, and take pictures on them despite the now primitive camera. Their devices are a big conversation starter.

“At parties people will say, ‘oh my goodness, is that a flip phone?,’” Palazzolo said. “We’ll get to talk to some new people, meet some people, and everybody loves it.”

Reagan Boeder, 18, said she’s trying to get her sorority sisters in on the trend.

“I think people are going to go out more and more with flip phones just because it’s so fun and nostalgic and honestly a vibe,” Boeder said.

Before switching phones, Palazzolo found her nights out in her college town would often end in tears stemming from an unwelcome post on social media or a text from an ex, “the root cause was from our phones.”

As vintage technology began making a comeback, they came up with an unconventional solution.

In December, she and three friends went to their local Walmart. The process was unfamiliar for the 18-year-olds, from what model they should buy to finding the right phone plan. After four hours, Palazzolo bought the AT&T Flex for $49.99; her friends got cheaper models for $19.99 through Tracphone.

Palazzolo’s TikTok encouraging others to purchase flip phones has more than 14 million views and over 3 million likes, with hashtags that include #BRINGBACKFLIPPHONES and #y2kaesthetic.

“It eliminates all the bad things about college and brings all of the good things about a phone,” Palazzolo said. “Which is connecting with people and taking photos and videos. The photos and videos on this are fire.”

HMD Global is the exclusive licensee of Nokia, said Gen Z is an unusual demographic for the company. Both companies are based in Finland.

“It’s a generation that didn’t have a Nokia as their first phone and likely discovered our brand through social networks,” said Jackie Kates, HMD Global’s head of marketing.

Gen Z is used to the many features that come with smart phones, from their numerous apps like Instagram, Find My Friends or GPS. But there are safety concerns, too, that come with relying on these simple devices. Without the “find my” tracking feature, Palozzolo said she and her friends stick close together and use a buddy system to keep track of who is where.

Palozzolo wanted to use a flip phone during one high school summer because she thought it would be “cool.” “My parents said absolutely not, we need to be able to track you,” she said.

Palazzolo is no stranger to “vintage” technology – she’s been bringing a digital camera to parties since her sophomore year of high school.

And though Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro has a 48 megapixel camera, it misses the delayed gratification of waiting to have pictures developed or downloaded on to a computer. Popular apps like “Hisptamatic” and “Dazz Cam” recreate digital and film camera photos and have thousands of downloads.

The disposable camera market is predicted to grow $1.23 billion by 2030. Celebrities like TikTokker Charlie D’Amelio and model Emily Ratajkowski have hopped on the 2000-era digital camera trend.

“I love the photos on the flip phones because they are grainy and blurry,” Palazzolo said. “And I think that captures the vibe of going out in college perfectly.”

Maybe one reason Gen Z yearns for the 1990s and 2000s era is the privacy and the absence of carefully curated images. It’s social media at its most casual – photo dumps with candid pictures and BeReal, a popular app that asks its users once a day to take real time selfie and post it within two minutes.

“I don’t ever want to be that person that’s just on their phone the whole time,” Boeder said. “Getting a flip phone kind of made that more possible.”

Back then, “people were more involved in each other than our phones and social media,” Boeder said. “It seemed like people just were talking to each other more and everything was more genuine and spontaneous.”

HMD Global said many people like the idea being less available.

“We attribute this shift to many smartphone users beginning to recognize they are spending too much time glued to their devices and having a strong desire to disconnect and ‘be fully present’ to improve their quality of social connections,” Kates said.

And yes, new Nokia flip phones are still available – the Nokia 2760 Flip is sold at Walmart from prepaid brands such as Verizon for $19.99. The 2780 can be found at Amazon and Best Buy for $89.99.

In 2022, the International Data Corporation said that the market for foldable phones was expected to reach $29 billion in 2025 – a compound annual growth of 70{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. Samsung has shipped over 10 million units since its first generation model came out, which accounted for more than 88{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the global foldable smartphone market as of 2022.

These aren’t your $30 flip phones available at Walmart. An unlocked Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 starts at $1,799.99, and the Galaxy Z Flip4 at $999.99.

“Samsung chose to bet on its foldable smartphones; a decision which has taken it is far ahead of its rivals in the number and sales of foldable smartphones” said Zaker Li, principal analyst on Omdia mobile devices’ team.

Omdia attributed the high price of Samsung foldable phones to lackluster sales for its earlier models, but sales “rapidly increased” to 9 million units in 2021, up 309{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} year-over-year.

Apple has no need to worry, however – Omdia expects that by 2026, foldable phones will account for 3.6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the total smartphone market. By comparison, Apple’s market share is more than half of the entire smartphone market.

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5-minute walks every 30 minutes may offset effects of too much sitting

5-minute walks every 30 minutes may offset effects of too much sitting

A female takes an exercise break to stretch at her deskShare on Pinterest
New research has found that a 5-minute walking break after every 30 minutes of sitting may help regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Westend61/Getty Images
  • Physical inactivity is often synonymous with modern life, with up to 85{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the world’s population leading a sedentary lifestyle.
  • Sitting for too long, regardless of general physical activity, is a recognized health hazard associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.
  • New research has found that a 5-minute walking break after every 30 minutes of sitting may help regulate blood pressure and control blood sugar levels.
  • The work highlights that short exercise “snacks” during the working day may also improve mood, fatigue, and well-being.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates around 2 million deaths each year are linked to physical inactivity. The institution has described a sedentary lifestyle as being among the 10 leading causes of death and disability in the world.

The number of people leading sedentary lifestyles is increasing due to a rise in occupational sedentary behaviors, such as office work, and increased use of electronic devices.

An estimated 60–85{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of people in the world and nearly two-thirds of children lead sedentary lifestyles.

Researchers and health experts are committed to finding ways to mitigate the harmful effects of prolonged sitting.

A new study from Columbia University in New York suggests that regular bursts of short exercise “snacks” throughout the working day might be enough to counter the effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

Specifically, the researchers found that a 5-minute walk every 30 minutes could offset the effects of prolonged sitting.

The work was published on Jan. 12 in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.

A sedentary lifestyle has serious health implications, contributing to an increased risk of:

Studies have also shown people who lead a sedentary lifestyle are also at higher risk of developing mental health disorders. On the flipside, people who exercise tend to report better mental health.

Reducing sedentary behavior and increasing physical activity a matter of public health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults aim to sit less throughout the day.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans state that adults should engage in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every week combined with 2 days of strength training.

Yet regardless of how physically active you are, studies have shown that prolonged sitting can still increase your risk of serious health complications.

To help reduce those risks, researchers and health experts recommend getting up from your desk often and moving around.

For the Columbia University study, 11 participants visited a laboratory where they sat for 8-hour sessions.

They were allowed to work, read, and use their mobile phones. During the sedentary sessions, they followed one of five exercise “snacks” as prescribed by the researchers:

  • 1 minute of walking after every 30 minutes of sitting
  • 1 minute of walking after 60 minutes of sitting
  • 5 minutes of walking after every 30 minutes of sitting
  • 5 minutes of walking after every 60 minutes of sitting
  • no walking

Each participant was also provided with standardized meals during the sessions. The researchers also monitored key health indicators at set intervals, including blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

The researchers found that participants’ blood sugar and blood pressure levels were reduced after 5 minutes of walking for every 30 minutes of sitting.

Lead study author Keith Diaz, Ph.D, associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia, told Medical News Today the most exciting part of the new research is that they’ve answered how best to prevent the detrimental health effects of sitting.

“Just like we have recommendations on how many fruits and vegetables we should eat each day and how much we should exercise — this is the most exciting part of this work. We finally have an answer. There are so many adults who have a job or lifestyle where they have to sit for prolonged periods. We can now provide them with guidance on this one behavior change to reduce their health risks from sitting.”

– Dr. Keith Diaz, Ph.D., lead study author

The research team also found that a 5-minute walk every half hour led to a 58{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} reduction in blood sugar spikes after eating.

Dr. Diaz explained the potential mechanism behind the biological effects on blood sugar:

“Muscles serve an important role in our health by helping to regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels — but they need to be used and contracted to do this,” he said.

“When our muscles aren’t used after hours and hours of sitting, they don’t fully help out to regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels. So we think that regular short walks or ‘activity snacks’ helps to activate the muscles to serve as better blood sugar and cholesterol regulators.”

Dr. Yu-Ming Ni, a noninvasive cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center, not involved in the study, explained to MNT that muscles are an important consumer of blood sugar.

“Physical activity improves blood sugar levels and can reduce the risk for diabetes,” Dr. Ni said. “Since diabetes is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, any effort to prevent diabetes will ultimately lead to less risk of heart disease.”

The researchers also found that blood pressure monitoring showed that all exercise “snacks” resulted in up to a 5 mmHg drop in blood pressure reading when compared to no walking at all.

“The sitting posture creates bends and constrictions in the blood vessels of the legs,” Dr. Diaz said. “In other words, sitting puts a kink in your legs’ blood vessels. This ultimately changes blood flow and can lead to increases in blood pressure.”

Dr. Diaz concluded that “regular short walks can help prevent the changes in blood pressure by regularly restoring blood flow to the legs.”

Dr. Ni noted the benefits of better blood pressure control: “Over time, this puts less strain on the heart and can prevent the development of heart failure or a heart attack,” he said, noting there are long-term benefits of the study findings.

“Remember that small changes done over the years can have a lasting impact on health. It may not seem like much to walk for 5 minutes every hour of desk work, but this can add up over the work day. For example, an 8-hour workday amounts to 40 minutes of physical activity. Add in a 15 min walk during your lunch break, and you suddenly have almost an hour of additional physical activity each workday. With these small changes, anyone can make a difference in their health — one walking break at a time.”

– Dr. Yu-Ming Ni, cardiologist

The researchers noted a reduction in participant fatigue and improvement in mood in all of the walking interventions when compared to no walking at all.

When asked if the short exercise “snacks” could be used to promote well-being, Dr. Diaz said:

“Compared to sitting all day, a 5-minute light walk every half hour reduced feelings of fatigue and improved mood. So beyond improving your physical health, regular walks to break up your sitting will put you in a better mood and help you feel more energized.”

Dr. Diaz added that the next steps for the research include finding more ways to reduce the harmful effects of sitting.

“We hope to find the least amount of movement you have to do to prevent the health harms of sitting,” Dr. Diaz said. “The reality is that many adults will find it hard to walk every half hour. So finding a more feasible recommendation is still needed.”