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HMD Barbie Phone

HMD Barbie Phone is a mobile phone developed by HMD Global in collaboration with Mattel[1] as a Barbie-themed flip phone. It was released in some territories as early as 28 August 2024. In the US, it started shipping on 1 October 2024.[2] There are two distinct versions of the phone: one for the international market that is based on the Nokia 2660 Flip and a different one for the American market based on Nokia 2780 Flip which has improved specifications.

Features

The Barbie Phone has a 2.8 inch display as well as a 1.77 inch external display that displays the clock on top of a glossy exterior.[2] The design is based on the Nokia 2660 Flip but heavily modified to fit the Barbie theme. Barbie symbols are shown when the keypad lights are illuminated. The user interface is also customised with a Barbie theme.[3]

It has basic essentials as expected from a feature phone such as a torch, calculator, alarm and calendar.[4] It also has a wireless FM radio receiver (i.e. it has a built in antenna and does not require headphones).[5] The phone also comes with a special Malibu themed version of Nokia's Snake game.[3]

The global version of the HMD Barbie Phone has a Unisoc chip and runs Series 30+. On the other hand, the US version is built on a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip and runs KaiOS (version 3.1). As a result, the American version has a number of additional capabilities such as Wi-Fi and GPS as well as access to downloadable KaiOS software. This version also has a better, 5 megapixel camera compared to the 0.3 megapixel lens on the global version.[6][2]

Marketing

To market to Barbie fans, the phone comes with a number of additional accessories in box and all are coloured pink including the charging cable.[7] As with a number of other HMD and Nokia branded feature phones, "digital detox" has been cited as a marketing point, and the phone. In addition nostalgia for the 2000s has also been used by HMD Global for marketing the phone.[7][8]

Reception

Tech Advisor rated the Barbie Phone poorly, thinking that the design and accessories are fun but being critical of the camera, keypad and screen.[9] PC Mag gave a more positive review and praised the design and the amount of included Barbie accessories.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "HMD launches Barbie phone in partnership with Mattel". Reuters. 28 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b c published, Jamie Richards (2024-08-28). "Come on Barbie, let's go party! The Barbie Flip Phone is finally here". TechRadar. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  3. ^ a b "HMD Barbie™ Phone". HMD Global.
  4. ^ Marin (2024-08-27). "Unboxing the HMD Barbie Phone | Nokiamob". Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  5. ^ Vasile, Cosmin (2024-07-31). "HMD is making a Barbie-themed phone, launch confirmed for late August". PhoneArena. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  6. ^ Ermenkova, Tsveta (2024-08-29). "The US version of the Barbie phone is better than the global one". PhoneArena. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  7. ^ a b Chokkattu, Julian. "The Barbie Phone Is a Glittery Flip Phone That's Very, Very Pink". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  8. ^ Johnson, Allison (2024-12-24). "The Barbie Phone is plastic, fantastic, and impractical". The Verge. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  9. ^ "HMD Barbie Phone review: Why?". Tech Advisor. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  10. ^ "HMD Barbie Phone Review". PCMAG. 2025-02-12. Retrieved 2025-05-01.