The HMD Barbie telephone is a co-branded product with Mattel, the toymaking big behind the franchise.
HMD
HMD, the corporate behind Nokia-branded telephones, launched a Barbie-branded telephone Wednesday that comes with calls, texts and a basic “flip” design — however no web or social media apps.
The HMD Barbie Telephone is a scorching pink gadget that flips open and shut and sports activities a daring “Barbie” brand on the again, paying homage to the long-lasting style doll assortment.
It’s the results of a partnership with Mattel, the toymaking big behind the Barbie franchise, which has produced and bought Barbie toys and equipment since 1959.
The telephone is out there for buy within the U.Okay. beginning Wednesday, retailing at £99 ($130.74). A U.S. launch is deliberate “quickly,” in line with HMD, which added that it’s going to reveal precise particulars of the U.S. launch on social media.
In contrast to the internet-connected smartphones of right now, that are probably the most broadly adopted type issue on the subject of cellular gadgets, HMD’s Barbie telephone will not be linked to the web.
The agency is in search of to capitalize on an rising development in recent times amongst primarily Gen Z shoppers embracing so-called dumb telephones, which lack web and supply solely fundamental textual content, name and digital camera options.
The idea of taking a “digital detox” has change into extra standard over the previous couple of years as shoppers have sought to restrict dangerous results of social media on their day by day lives.
“In our fast-paced digital world, it may possibly typically really feel like the net buzz by no means stops,” Lars Silberbauer, chief advertising officer for HMD, stated in a press release Wednesday.
“This telephone encourages you to ditch your smartphone in occasions once you simply need much less searching and extra enjoyable, all with the assistance of a real cultural icon, Barbie.”
The Barbie telephone comes outfitted with a 0.3 megapixel digital camera, together with a flash torch for taking “Y2K type” photographs, HMD stated. When taking a photograph, customers can add a Barbie digital camera body to go round their photos.
The gadget can even promote with a scorching pink Barbie cowl, in addition to two interchangeable again covers, together with one with coloured swirls and one other with a capturing coronary heart design. It additionally comes with Barbie-themed stickers and a pastel beaded telephone strap.
HMD and Mattel are hoping to faucet into the hype that swirled across the Barbie franchise final yr off the again of 2023’s “Barbie” film.
The blockbuster movie, which featured stars Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and Will Ferrell, grossed $1.4 billion on the field workplace, making it the highest-grossing movie of 2023.
For some, there may be a way that the telephone’s launch is arriving somewhat too late after the movie’s launch final July.
Regardless of the telephone’s launch arriving greater than a yr after the film’s launch, analysis agency CCS Perception is forecasting promising gross sales for the gadget. It estimates HMD will promote 400,000 items of its Barbie telephone within the U.Okay. this yr.
“The Barbie telephone faucets into the present digital detox development with a enjoyable design that might have broad enchantment,” stated Ben Wooden, chief analyst of CCS Perception, in emailed feedback.
“I would think about fairly a number of individuals might be tempted to purchase it as a little bit of enjoyable, however in actuality, everyone seems to be so depending on their smartphones that something greater than the odd day of detox might be a stretch.”
HMD has held the rights to promote Nokia-branded cellular merchandise since 2016 after hanging a deal to accumulate the Nokia cellular model from Microsoft in 2016 with electronics business provider Foxconn Expertise.
The corporate, which was then referred to as HMD International, rebranded earlier this yr as Human Cellular Gadgets. Nokia earns royalty funds on gross sales of gadgets with its model by HMD.