The gadgets that defined 2016–and what replaced them

Here’s what’s gone meta on the internet lately: younger millennials and Gen Z are calling 2016 the “last good year.” Why? Life, according to the internet, felt lighter back then. This was a time before politics polarized timelines, before algorithms dictated feeds, before the pandemic reshaped everything. Social media actually felt social.

2016 was when former President Rodrigo Duterte had just taken office, and Donald Trump was still on his way into the White House. TikTok hadn’t yet gone global and was confined within China as Douyin, Vine was still making us laugh with janky clips, and YouTube videos weren’t polished productions. Wireless wearables were only beginning to escape Silicon Valley labs, and neither AI slop nor brainrot was a thing.

Technology in 2016 felt simpler, more human. Many of the gadgets that defined the year have since been discontinued, but the trends they sparked live on. Here’s a look back at some of the devices we carried everywhere – and the modern equivalents that replaced them.

When phones still had buttons (and jacks)

In 2016, home buttons still defined phones and tablets. The iPhone 6S Plus had just won over the hearts of smartphone users when Apple introduced the iPhone 7 line, which eliminated the headphone jack because the tech brand also introduced the first iteration of the AirPods earlier that year. Since then, iPhones have shed bezels and home buttons, with the 2022-released iPhone SE being the last to have them. That shift set the template for nearly every smartphone design today.

Most phones these days have followed a similar trend, but there are a few that reintroduced QWERTY keyboards (like the ones that Blackberry popularized in the early to mid-2010s) as well as “dumber” form factors. Here’s a list of these phones and why they’re effective ways to avoid doom scrolling.

Wired earphones

AirPods may have been introduced in 2016, but they were seen as an unnecessary luxury. They were hella expensive and easy to lose. Sure, the wireless earbud is more affordable and mainstream now, but it took a while for people to adopt.

Until then, people depended on the ol’ reliable: the wired earphones. They were cheap (hello, P100-wired earphones from CDR-King, anyone?), and you can get decent sound quality at decent price points too! 

Wired earphones were never phased out, but wireless earbuds did take over the market for a while. Now, wired earphones are staging a comeback as a fashion statement and a nod to nostalgia. BLACKPINK’s Rosé has said in past interviews that she prefers wired earphones, and even Jennie has been spotted wearing them when she’s not performing.

If you want a pair, Apple EarPods are still available. Just make sure you buy the right plug (3.5 mm, Lightning, or USB-C). But, if you’re part of Team Wireless now, the Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation was released just a couple of months ago and packs serious noise-cancellation tech, workout features, and better-fitting tips.

Apple Watches and fitness trackers

2015–2017 was a pivotal era for Apple. In late 2015, the Apple Watch was first introduced. This marked a pivotal moment for watches and fitness trackers as smarter features were slowly being introduced into wearable devices.

People had mixed reactions to the first Apple Watch; some argued you might as well buy a traditional watch. Today, of course, the Apple Watch is a huge success and has undoubtedly influenced other tech brands and even watchmakers to make their own.

At the same time, Fitbit was at its peak. Devices like the Charge 2 and Blaze turned step counting into a cultural obsession, with leaderboards and challenges that made fitness social.

While Apple Watches also eventually absorbed those features, Fitbit’s influence is clear as today’s smartwatches all come with health tracking baked in. Today, Fitbit lives inside Google’s Pixel Watch, while Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin dominate the fitness space.

Pre-Nintendo Switch and VR headsets era

Before the Nintendo Switch, we had the Nintendo 3DS. This was also the year the first Oculus Rift was introduced.

Today’s handhelds – the Switch 2, Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally – pack powerful specs and render console‑quality graphics. Meanwhile, alternative handheld gaming consoles like Anbernic are bringing back the retro vibe through familiar-looking form factors and vintage games.

And when it comes to headsets, while the Oculus Rift has since been discontinued, newer iterations like the Meta Quest headsets and the Apple Vision Pro are now available. Not quite a VR headset, but smarter eyewear like Ray-Ban Meta is starting to make waves in this decade, too.

The timeless Kindle

If there’s one piece of tech that has remained largely unchanged, that would be e-readers like the Kindle. Sure, the Kindle has, over the years, been upgraded with more storage, memory, and quality of life improvements, but the essence of the device remains intact. Newer Kindles and e-readers have introduced styluses and colored e-ink screens over the years. But honestly, the Kindle back then feels strikingly familiar beside the new Kindle devices.

2016 tech in 2026?

Looking back, 2016’s gadgets remind us of a time when tech felt lighter, simpler, and more human. Many of those devices are gone, but the habits they sparked, like streaming, scrolling, gaming on the go, and tracking our health, still define how we interact with our devices today.

The difference? Everything’s sleeker, smarter, and powered by AI. Is that good progress or not? Only time will tell. – Rappler.com

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