AN official Barbie flip phone has been released with not only a bold design but also a bold outlook – there are no social media apps.
The retro handset goes back to basics with support for calls and texts, as well as a simple camera, in a bid to cater to the digital detox trend.
It follows the success of the Barbie live action movie starring Margot Robbie last year, which earned a whopping £1.1billion / $1.4billion worldwide.
The official phone plays a “Hi Barbie” voice greeting when you switch it on, and you’ll see a missed call notification from Ken as well.
HMD, which makes Nokia phones, has partnered with Barbie owner Mattel on the device to bring a burst of nostalgia to a busy smartphone scene dominated by flashy features.
“In our fast-paced digital world, it can often feel like the online buzz never stops,” explained Lars Silberbauer, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Human Mobile Devices (HMD).
“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.”
The other quirky feature on the Barbie phone is the use of replaceable covers.
There’s the brightly coloured swirls of the 1992’s iconic Totally Hair Barbie doll and a vintage “shooting heart” design.
Users can also customise their handset with a selection of sparkly gems and retro vintage Barbiestickers to decorate it.
The Barbie phone is classed as a “dumb phone” due to its lack of smart features and experts believe there is still a market for them.
CCS Insight estimates that over 400,000 will be sold in the UK alone this year.
“The Barbie phone taps into the current digital detox trend with a fun design that could have broad appeal,” said expert Ben Wood, from CCS Insight.
“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.”
The official Barbie phone is now on sale for £99 at hmd.com.
All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed.
Always do your own research before making any purchase.
