HMD, which makes Nokia-branded phones, said it has teamed up with toymaker Mattel to launch the HMD Barbie Phone, a pint-sized pink feature flip phone with a retro design.
The phone, priced at £99 (R2 300), is available starting on Wednesday in certain markets (not South Africa). The device allows users to make calls and send texts but gives no access to social media apps.
The Barbie-pink keypad has hidden designs featuring palm trees, hearts and flamingos that light up in the dark, the company said.
The launch coincides with the Barbie doll’s 65th birthday this year and follows the success of last year’s Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie, which grossed US$1.4-billion at the global box office.
Phone specifications
- Networks: GSM/GPRS 900/1800, WCDMA, LTE Cat1
- Operating system: S30+
- Variant: Dual Sim/single Sim
- CPU: T107
- Storage: 128MB + 64MB (ROM/RAM), microSD support up to 32GB
- Display: 2.8-inch internal screen and 1.77-inch external screen
- Connectivity/sensors: Bluetooth 5.0, USB type-C and 3.5mm AV jack
- Battery: 1 450mAh battery
- Audio:MP3 Player, FM radio (wired/wireless)
- Dimensions: 108.4×55.1×18.9mm, 123.5g
- Camera: VGA camera with torch as flash
“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,” said Ben Wood, chief analyst at research firm CCS Insight.
Research firm CCS Insight estimates that HMD could sell more than 400 000 Barbie phones in the UK, where it will be available through Vodafone and Argos.
Finnish firm HMD, which is backed by Google and Qualcomm, has launched several feature phones, including reissues of classic Nokia phones such as the 3210 and 3310. — Supantha Mukherjee, (c) 2024 Reuters