Still a superfan of all things Barbie? Well soon, you’ll be able to get a flip phone from the blockbuster toy franchise.
As CNBC reports, the company behind Nokia-branded smartphones, HMD, short for Human Mobile Devices, says it is launching a Barbie flip phone this summer, in partnership with Barbie parent company Mattel, which has produced and sold the popular dolls and accessories since 1959.
The device, which is slated for launch this summer, “promises to embody the vintage chic of the original girl empowerment brand with a dash of pink and of course, sparkle,” according to a HMD press release. It won’t be connected to the internet, making it a throwback to the “dumb phones” of yesteryear before smartphones became popular.
So-called dumb phones have become more popular, especially with Gen Z consumers, who are trying to limit their digital activity and move away from toxic content found on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube.
“Barbie mania” became a phenomenon in 2023 due to a blockbuster movie starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera and Will Ferrell. The film pulled in over $1.4 billion at the box office, making it the highest-grossing film of 2023. The new Barbie phone will look like a standard flip phone with buttons rather than a touch screen, and comes in a hot pink color, purposely mimicking the iconic pink flip phone accessory that comes with many Barbie dolls.
Lars Silberbauer, HMD’s chief marketing officer, told CNBC the company was taking the “Lego model” of partnering with other big-name brands, while providing tech knowhow and its own phone brand. Silberbauer previously worked at Lego as a senior global director. “We’re not a white label business. We want the HMD brand to stand for something,” said Silberbauer. “There will be more collaborations. The next one is coming out in May.” He suggested there would be plenty other deals and partnerships down the line.
Information on pricing and availability has not yet been shared by the company.
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