HMD Global and Mattel launch nostalgic “Barbie flip phone” to combat smartphone addiction

HMD Global has teamed up with Mattel to launch the Barbie Phone, a nostalgic flip phone for those who need a break from the digital world. The phone comes in a striking pink and features a front screen that doubles as a mirror, ideal for quick touch-ups.

The Barbie Phone embodies the Barbie aesthetic with two interchangeable backs: one featuring vibrant swirls from the 1992 Totally Hair Barbie doll and another with a vintage shooting heart design. Users can customize their phones with stick-on crystals and retro Barbie stickers, including flowers, flamingos and rainbows.

The phone comes with a pastel beaded bracelet with charms inspired by Barbie's iconic looks, like miniature sunglasses from 1959 and a Malibu roller skate. All packaged in a Barbie and HMD-branded jewelry box.

The phone offers a customized interface with Barbie wallpapers, app icons and features to promote digital wellbeing. Users can access digital balance tips, Barbie meditation guides and self-care reminders.

The phone also includes Barbie-inspired ringtones and hidden Easter eggs such as special wallpapers and greetings from Ken that can be unlocked with special codes.

Prices and availability

The phone's availability in India has not been announced. However, the Barbie Phone is priced at £99 (approximately ₹11,008) in the UK and €129 (approximately ₹12,085) in Europe. It will be available starting today, August 28. In the US, it will be available starting October 1 for $129 (approximately ₹10,825), with pre-orders starting September 23.

Technical data

The Barbie Phone features a 2.8-inch QVGA internal screen and a 1.77-inch external screen. It is powered by the Unisoc T107 processor and has 64MB of RAM and 128MB of internal storage, expandable up to 32GB via a microSD card. It runs on the S30+ operating system, supports dual SIM functionality, and has a VGA rear camera with LED flash.

For audio playback, the phone has a 3.5mm headphone jack, an MP3 player, and an FM radio with wired and wireless options. It supports Bluetooth 5.0 and uses a USB Type-C port for connectivity. The device works on GSM/GPRS 900/1800, WCDMA, and LTE Cat1 networks. It weighs 123.5 grams and measures 108.4 x 55.1 x 18.9 mm. It is powered by a removable 1450 mAh battery and offers up to 9 hours of talk time.