Come on Barbie, lets go party with this new $129 flip phone from HMD

Thanks to a new Barbie-inspired phone from Human Mobile Devices (HMD), we can all travel back to the early 2000s. Featuring a flip phone, T9 SMS messaging and hot pink nostalgia, the Mattel-licensed Barbie Phone will be available on October 1st for $129.

To say the world was caught up in Barbie fever last year would be an understatement. Though a bit late in its release to capitalize on the buzz around Greta Gerwig’s smash hit film, HMD has designed an entry-level priced retro flip phone that harkens back to a time before social media, smart home apps, and streaming on mobile phones.

Barbie’s cell phone is a nostalgic, pink affair

For a flip phone, the HMD offers the latest features and connectivity.

Barbie Phone

It’s a throwback Barbie-inspired flip phone designed by HMD, with a power pink colorway, a 2.8-inch display, a 5-megapixel camera, and a Malibu-inspired Snake game built in.

As expected, the HMD Barbie phone mimics the design and look of Nokia phones from the early 2000s. HMD is the current owner of the Nokia phone brand, so it makes sense that the company would lean towards the Nokia look. The foldable phone features a 2.8-inch main display and a 1.7-inch display on the clamshell exterior. The device itself comes in one color, aptly named Power Pink.

As for photography, the HMD has a 5MP rear camera, meaning there’s no need for a selfie camera; although, if we were to go back to the post-Y2K era, we’d be better off going all-in with the selfie camera. Powered by the Qualcomm 215, the Barbie phone supports 512MB of RAM and has a 1,450mAh battery, meaning it’s not a powerful device; however, it does have Bluetooth support and USB-C charging.

HMD’s new foldable phone doesn’t support the latest social media platforms, so no doomscrolling is possible.

Head-mounted display

HMD says the Barbie-inspired flip phone is being launched as a way to “give your smartphone a break so you can live your dream life.” The company doesn’t hide that the device doesn’t support Instagram or TikTok; its website and marketing campaign encourage users to “disconnect” from “distracting apps.” But open the device and you’ll find a special Malibu edition Snake and other Easter eggs.

Instead, the HMD Barbie Phone is all about vibe. In partnership with Mattel, the clamshell cover features the Barbie logo. The keyboard, which uses a T9 layout, also features symbols like flamingos, palm trees, and the “B” sign. The device comes with two extra back covers, so you can customize the phone to fit your style. HMD also offers a collection of stickers and crystals that you can use to express yourself. Plus, a beaded strap with a Barbie charm is the perfect accent.

Barbie Phone misses the film’s cultural zeitgeist

Unfortunately, HMD was unable to time the release to coincide with last year’s Barbie movie.

Head-mounted display

Last summer saw the iconic Babenheimer Theatre Experience, where audiences flocked to theaters around the world to see Oppenheimer and, more importantly, Barbie in this context. Gerwig’s film grossed $1.4 billion at the box office worldwide and won an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Who knows what sales would have done if HMD had been able to time its release with the popularity of mobile phones. That being said, awareness of the Barbie brand is now widespread. Kids and adults alike have a unified view of Barbie outside of toys and comics.

HMD’s Barbie Phone is specifically targeted at older generations (i.e. me) who yearn to relive their youth. The device won’t make users give up their iPhones or Android devices entirely, but it will provide a distraction from the glut of apps and social media platforms that constantly bombard us.