Why Gen Z is Ditching the Flagship for a ‘Second Phone’

Translation result

Young people have increasingly adopted a so-called second-phone culture, carrying two or more smartphones. Rather than simply separating work and personal devices, people now assign phones by purpose — for taking photos, managing social media, carving out focused time, and other specific uses.

Gyeonggi Ilbo’s reporting on the 1st found that people in their 20s and 30s are increasingly keeping an extra device or reusing an old phone alongside their main smartphone. Instead of buying a new flagship, many pull an older model out of storage or buy an inexpensive used phone for a dedicated purpose.

College student Park Ji-hoon (25, a pseudonym) charges a phone he used a few years ago and carries it along with his daily device. “The old phone’s camera renders portraits more naturally, so I use it only for photos,” Park said. “My main phone is for communication, and my secondary phone is for keeping records.”

Office worker Choi Seo-hyun (28, a pseudonym) describes her second phone as a “comma device” — a tool for taking a break. “My main phone is constantly buzzing with work messengers and notifications, and it’s exhausting,” she said. “After work I use an old phone without a SIM card to listen to music or just take photos.” She added, “I actually feel more organized than when I handled everything on one device.”

The trend reflects a shift in how people use smartphones. Where consumers once prized packing every function into a single high-performance model, they now split functions across devices and make more pragmatic purchases.

That shift shows up in the used-phone market. A representative from a secondhand trading platform said, “More users are steadily looking for affordable used phones as second devices.” “Many customers want a separate device for photos, music, or light social media while keeping their main phone,” the representative added. “Interest is especially strong in older premium models with good cameras and in smaller phones.”

Online, the response is visible: social posts about “photo-only phones” and “old iPhones” appear regularly, with users sharing images and playlists that reflect their sensibilities while using secondary phones to curate content.

Experts say this isn’t just a passing fad. An IT industry insider noted, “As the fatigue of being constantly connected grows, demand is emerging to split functions across devices.” He characterized the trend as a reflection of both efficiency and taste-driven consumption.

He added that the industry expects products aimed at second-phone users to diversify, including eSIM-based additional-line services, low-cost plans, and services tied to used devices.