HMD to Launch A Barbie Flip Phone Later This Year

The company behind Nokia phones for the past seven years is now expanding into its own tech, branded under its Human Mobile Devices banner. HMD phones will also launch in the coming months. The company used MWC 2024 to tease these devices and announced a collaboration with Mattel to create a HMD Barbie flip phone. Four new devices will be launched between now and July, some likely to bear the Nokia brand, while others will be HMD-branded phones.

During today’s announcement, no phones were officially revealed, but a teaser image was shared to outline the upcoming roadmap for the company. HMD has confirmed that it will produce its own hardware in addition to partnering with brands like Mattel. The Barbie handset will launch in July this year, while the first device, with either Nokia or HMD branding, will launch in May. Details about the Barbie phone are scarce. But we are sure that the phone is coming in a pink colour.

HMD to Launch A Barbie Flip Phone Later This Year

HMD stated, “Promising style, nostalgia, and a much-needed digital detox, this retro feature phone will flip the script on smartphone culture and will be this summer’s hottest accessory.” HMD’s success with flip phones for the Nokia brand suggests that the Barbie phone will offer something unique. In an interview with The Verge, HMD confirmed that the Barbie phone will be an all-new device, not a rebadge of an existing handset.

HMD also hinted at future partnerships with other brands. Adam Ferguson, HMD’s global head of insight, proposition, and product marketing, mentioned, “Are there other partnerships other than just working with Mattel? Absolutely. Are they as massive, and triple-A as Mattel? Absolutely. Can I tell you what those are at this point? Absolutely not.”

HMD reiterated its commitment to sustainability, promising that its upcoming products will be easier to repair than the average smartphone. The company did not reveal any detail yet. However, the company ensures that its upcoming phones will prioritize sustainability, a concept that originated with the Nokia G22 during MWC 2023.

Lastly, HMD teased a new project called HMD Fusion, which appears to be a modular smartphone element for at least one of its upcoming devices. A toolkit for Fusion is available online, allowing users to design what the brand calls “smart outfits,” which seem to be rear panels for the upcoming device. These panels could potentially add new features, such as a barcode scanner or a game controller, to the rear of the phone. We will get further details in the coming weeks.