Barbie X HMD Flip Phone is the latest innovation from Human Mobile Devices (HMD), Europe’s largest and leading smartphone makers, who partners with Mattel, a leading global toy company.
Barbie is an icon of design, from the chevron stripes of No. 1 Barbie released for the first time in 1959 to the bold styling of Totally Hair Barbie which hit the market in 1992.
Likewise, the device promises to embody the vintage chic of the original girl empowerment brand with a dash of pink and of course, sparkle.
Though not much is known about some of the top features that will accompany the HMD branded Barbie device, all we know so far is that it will designed from scratch and in true Nokia style will offer a retro twist, bringing back the ‘90s and early 2000s nostalgia.
The launch promises to be an exciting moment for Barbie fans of all ages all over the world. “We’re excited to flip the switch and unveil it to the world at Mobile World Congress,” read a statement from HMD sent Monday to NOWinSA.
“Promising style, nostalgia and a much-needed digital detox, this retro feature phone will flip the script on smartphone culture and will be this summer’s hottest accessory,” HMD further said.
The news are a testament to the increasing demand of feature phones as more GenZs look to limit their screen time and build healthier relationship with technology; with the latest independent reports (TrendForce) showing a steady increase of flip/foldable phone sales in 2023 and expects further shipments growth of about 17.7 million units 2024.
The Finnish brand that has been selling Nokia phones since 2016, and will now also launch HMD-branded phones in the coming months. This is part of the tech company’s mission to “make phones affordable, beautiful, desirable, and repairable.”