• by Danielle Oster , August 28, 2024

She’s everything, you’re just a smartphone.

HMD (Human Mobile Devices) Global --  the Finnish mobile phone manufacturer that also licenses the Nokia brand -- is introducing a new phone with few features but big star power, partnering with Mattel to release the HMD Barbie Flip Phone.

As implied by its name, the Barbie-branded device is something of a throwback to a prior era. The phone intentionally strips away common smartphone features like easy access to the Internet and social media, to create a “feature phone” more akin to the devices makers like Blackberry and Nokia were producing before Apple disrupted the industry with the launch of the iPhone.

That lack of connectivity to online culture is kind of the whole point. The phone is being promoted as a retro-inspired way for consumers to take a digital detox break from their smartphones, with help from Barbie.

The Barbie Flip Phone will launch in the U.S. for the price of $129 on Oct. 1, with functionality across AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon networks. HMD will begin taking pre-orders for the products on its website on September 23.

In a statement, Mattel EMEA head of licensing Ruth Henriquez said the product tapped into “important insights into how people want to limit their screen time,” while incorporating “amazing Easter eggs” and other elements designed to appeal to Barbie fans.

In fact, the phone even powers on with a “Hi, Barbie!” voice greeting. Its features include a a beach-themed “Malibu Snake” game – a nostalgic nod to the classic game “Snake” that Nokia included preloaded on its flip phones, beginning in the late 1990s. It also has “hidden designs featuring palm trees, hearts, and flamingos that light up in the dark” within its (Barbie pink, naturally) keyboard ,according to HMD. The phone’s customizable user interface comes equipped with Barbie-themed wallpapers and app icons.

There are also accessories, of course, this being a Barbie product. It comes with two alternative cases (in addition to its default Barbie pink cover): one featuring a  brightly colored swirl pattern referencing 1992’s “Totally Hair Barbie,” and another sporting a vintage Barbie “shooting heart” design.  There's also a Barbie-inspired beaded phone strap in pastel shades of pink, yellow, and blue adorned with phone charm accessories, including Barbie’s iconic sunglasses from her 1959 debut.

The idea of a digital detox has caught on amid increased awareness of the potential negative mental health impacts of too much screen time, particularly with younger consumers. According to a recent from global research company Sago, 75% of Gen Z actively monitor their screen time – more than any other age group. Other trends among younger consumers related to the digital detox concept, include forgoing smart phone cameras in favor of digital “point and shoot” cameras from the 90s and early 2000s, and “silent walking” without distractions.