HMD's retro Barbie Flip Phone trades specs for simplicity (and sparkle)

If you can’t get Kenough of Greta Gerwig’s box-office shaking Barbie movie, Nokia maker Human Mobile Devices (HMD) has a new product for you.

The Barbie Flip Phone, which was announced in partnership with iconic toy maker Mattel at MWC 2024, aims to “flip the script on smartphone culture” by offering a stripped-back mobile experience in a retro – and suitably pink – package.

Set to arrive in July this year, the Barbie Flip Phone represents HMD’s response to a growing trend whereby Gen Z and millennials are deliberately limiting their screen time. The hashtag #bringbackflipphones, for instance, has so far garnered 60 million views on TikTok, and HMD claims that – in the last 12 months alone – its own European flip phone sales have more than doubled.

So, what does the Barbie Flip Phone actually look like? Well, we don’t know just yet; HMD has so far only shared a blurry tease image (below) and a series of toy-based promotional images (above). However, the teeny weeny pink toy phone visible in the latter does give us a good idea of what to expect come July.

Also at MWC 2024, HMD announced plans to bring several more HMD-branded devices to market in the coming months – though, again, the brand hasn’t yet shared specifics. We do know that HMD plans to “bring back an iconic phone this summer,” which will presumably be similar to the brand’s existing revivals of devices like the Nokia 3310 and Nokia 8110.

HMD is upping its repairability game, too. Having announced the repairability-focused Nokia G22 phone this time last year, the company has now introduced a new Rasberry Pi-style developer toolkit, HMD Fusion – which is already available on its website – containing design files and information on software integration.

The intention with HMD Fusion is to “make sure people and businesses can augment their phone to fit their needs,” HMD says. “We want to champion many people’s creativity, which is leaps and bounds beyond what we can achieve solo. The potential is endless. These could be as simple as a fashionable outfit, an outfit with an extended battery, a payment terminal, barcode scanners, or even portable, connected medical equipment, it really is a blank canvas for creativity.”

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