Highlights
• HMD has announced the Barbie phone, which appears to be a slightly modified version of the Nokia 2660 Flip.
• The HMD Barbie™ Phone is a feature phone designed to embrace the digital detox trend & a break from the usual busy life.
• The launch coincides with the Barbie doll’s 65th birthday this year.
• The device allows users to make calls and send texts but gives no access to social media apps.
HMD Global, which makes Nokia-branded phones, has got into partnership with toymaker Mattel to launch the HMD Barbie Phone – a pink feature flip phone with a retro design.
The Barbie-pink keypad has hidden designs featuring palm trees, hearts and flamingos that light up in the dark, the company said.
It follows the success of last year’s Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie, which grossed US$1.4 billion at the global box office.
The flip phone has features that include calling, texting with no access to social media apps which gives a digital detox to the users who are barbie fans.
It has a pastel beaded phone strap in hues of pink, yellow and blue which is customized with phone charms inspired by the doll’s most iconic looks, from a mini pair of the chic 1959 sunglasses to a Malibu roller skate, a palm tree, an ice cream and a heart with a branded ‘B’.
All packaged within an adorable Barbie and HMD branded jewellery box.
The phone has bespoke user interface with Barbie wallpapers and Barbie app icons to support digital wellbeing including ‘Digital balance tips’, ‘BarbieMeditation’ and in the settings there are ‘Self-care reminders’.
Custom ringtones are available to choose from including ‘floating’, ‘Coastal’, ‘DreamHouse’, ‘Azure Barbie’, and ‘Surf Chimes’.
The phone has hidden Easter eggs for key Barbie dates and words, when you type BARBIE by pressing #227243# you get Barbie wallpapers, #ken# or #536# for greetings from Ken and #malibu# for Malibu beach sounds.
The phone features two replaceable back covers: the brightly coloured swirls of the 1992’s iconic Totally Hair Barbie doll and a vintage ‘shooting heart’ design.
They also have a set of stick-on crystals and adorable retro Barbie stickers including flowers, flamingos and rainbows, which helps users to customise their phone.
The phone has a pink battery and a pink USB-A to USB Type-C charging cable), the phone has a beautiful mirror in front for the users to look at yourself whenever you want to.
It features a 0.3MP camera with a torch that adds to the phone’s retro vibes.
When you Flip the phone open there is 2.7-inch screen and you will hear the familiar ‘Hi Barbie!’ boot up sound that plays when it is switched on, and a missed call from Ken that you can add to contacts.
The Barbie phone is a 4G LTE device, powered by Unisoc T107 processor, running on S30+ platform.
It has a built in storage of 128MB, expandable up to 32GB and features Bluetooth 5.0, wired and wireless FM Radio, and a 1450mAh battery that can be charged via USB C cable with 9 hours of talk time.
Lars Silberbauer, chief marketing officer at HMD, said: “In our fast-paced digital world, it can often feel like the online buzz never stops. “This phone encourages you to ditch your smartphone in times when you just want less browsing and more fun, all with the help of a true cultural icon, Barbie. “Barbie is as popular as she’s ever been, and feature phones are continuing to go from strength to strength – we’re bringing two brilliant things together. “We cannot wait for people to get their hands on the device and take a holiday from their smartphone.”
Ruth Henriquez, head of licensing at Mattel in Europe, said: “At Mattel we have an unwavering commitment to design and innovation and this exciting new phone is a great example of that, tapping into important insights into how people want to limit their screen time.
“HMD has created amazing Easter eggs which will make the user experience even more special and playful, sure to delight Barbie fans all over the world.”
Industry expert Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, said although the idea of a digital detox was becoming more popular, it remained a “niche” part of the phone market.
“I’d imagine quite a few people will be tempted to buy it as a bit of fun, but in reality everyone is so dependent on their smartphones that anything more than the odd day of detox will be a stretch.” Ben Wood, CCS Insight.
“The Barbie phone taps into the current digital detox trend with a fun design that could have broad appeal,” he said.
“I’d imagine quite a few people will be tempted to buy it as a bit of fun, but in reality everyone is so dependent on their smartphones that anything more than the odd day of detox will be a stretch.
“HMD should be applauded for adding a bit of fun to the humble ‘dumb phone’. Everyone I’ve shown the phone to loves the idea and the design. It’s a very eye-catching product that definitely turns heads.
“Some may think the dumb phone has reached the end of the line, but this year CCS Insight estimates that over 400,000 will be sold in the UK. That’s an attractive niche for a company like HMD.”
HMD Barbie Phone Pricing and Availability
- The HMD Barbie Phone is priced at 99 GBP (Rs. 11,008 approx.) in the UK or 129 Euros (Rs. 12,085 approx.) in the Europe and will be available starting from today, August 28th.
- It will be available in the US for USD 129 (Rs. 10,825 approx.) unlocked from HMD with pre-orders starting from September 23rd, and sale from October 1st.
HMD Barbie Phone Sales Package Contents
- HMD Barbie™ Phone
- Two extra back covers
- Pink battery
- Pink USB-A to USB Type-CTM charging cable
- Stickers and gem stickers
- Beaded lanyard and attachable charms
- Cleaning cloth
- Quick setup guide
HMD Barbie Phone Specifications
- 2.8″ QVGA internal screen, 1.77″ external screen
- Unisoc T107 processor
- 64MB RAM;, 128 MB internal storage, expandable memory up to 32GB with microSD
- Nokia S30+ OS
- Dual SIM
- VGA rear with LED Flash
- 3.5mm Headphone jack, MP3 Player, FM Radio
- Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C
- Dimensions: 108.4×55.1×18.9mm; Weight: 123.5g
- 1450mAh removable battery with up to 9h talk time
HMD Barbie Phone Check the Specs
- Dimensions: 108.4 55.1 18.9 mm
- Mass: 123.5g
- Display: 2.8” internal screen & 1.77” external screen
- Processor: UNISOC T107
- Storage: 128MB+64MB (ROM/RAM), Micro SD up to 32GB
- Connectivity: Bluetooth® (5.0), USB Type-C™, and 3.5mm AV jack
- Camera: VGA camera with torch as flash
- Battery: 1450mAh removable battery (Talk time up to 9 hours)
- Extra: MP3 Player, FM radio (Wired/Wireless)
- Networks: GSM/GPRS 900/1800, WCDMA, LTE Cat1 (Dual SIM/Single SIM)
OS: S30+
Faqs
What are the digital well being features of Hmd Barbie Phone ?
The phone has bespoke user interface with Barbie wallpapers and Barbie app icons to support digital wellbeing including ‘Digital balance tips’, ‘BarbieMeditation’ and in the settings there are ‘Self-care reminders’.
What are custom ringtones available in HMD Barbie Phone?
Custom ringtones are available to choose from including ‘floating’, ‘Coastal’, ‘DreamHouse’, ‘Azure Barbie’, and ‘Surf Chimes’.
What are the hidden Easter eggs for Barbie Feature Phone ?
The phone has hidden Easter eggs for key Barbie dates and words, when you type BARBIE by pressing *#227243# you get Barbie wallpapers, *#ken# or *#536# for greetings from Ken and *#malibu# for Malibu beach sounds.
What are the camera specs of HMD Barbie Phone?
It features a 0.3MP camera with a torch that adds to the phone’s retro vibes.
What are the battery specs of HMD Barbie Phone ?
The phone has a pink battery and a pink USB-A to USB Type-C charging cable), the phone has a beautiful mirror in front for the users to look at yourself whenever you want to.
What are the additional features of the HMD Barbie Phone ?
The Barbie phone is a 4G LTE device, powered by Unisoc T107 processor , running on S30+ platform.
It has a built in storage of 128MB , expandable up to 32GB and features Bluetooth 5.0 , wired and wireless FM Radio, and a 1450mAh battery that can be charged via USB C cable with 9 hours of talk time.
Also Read: HMD Global Set to Launch Barbie-Branded Flip Phone on August 28
Also Read: HMD Announces New Direction at MWC with Human Mobile Devices, Repair-At-Home, and a Barbie Phone
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