HMD's Barbie phone, the novelty device for Y2K-nostalgic hot pink fans, finally has pricing and release information. The Mattel-approved champion of late-in-the-making movies will launch in October (just 15 months after Greta Gerwig's film hit theaters!) for $129.
The phone is the brainchild of Human Mobile Devices (HMD), which currently owns the trademark rights to Nokia phones. Rather than a smartphone replacement, the Barbie Phone is a retro-style flip phone (no doubt in Nokia style) with a T9 keypad and no third-party apps in sight. The company bills it as “the perfect tool for living life to the fullest and taking a vacation from your smartphone.”
You won't find any social media apps, but the phone still makes calls and sends texts. When you turn the phone on, you'll be greeted by a voice saying “Hello Barbie” before it turns on. Malibu snake to pay homage to the original mobile games. Its keyboard (in “Barbie pink,” of course) features hidden designs like palm trees, hearts, and flamingos that light up in the dark. Why the fuck not!?
The Barbie phone has a 5MP camera with flash that “delivers authentic Y2K-style images.” It ships with two alternative covers in addition to the standard one. The two covers include one that pays homage to “the brightly colored swirls of the iconic 1992 Barbie Totally Hair doll” and another with a shot-of-a-heart design.
Also included in the box is a pastel-hued beaded phone strap that you can adorn with charms like a tiny skateboard or a “Barbie doll-sized ice cream cone.” You’ll also get glittery gems to stick on and retro vintage Barbie stickers (including flowers, flamingos, and rainbows) to decorate the phone to your liking. It even has a pink USB-C charger.
Naturally, the phone has a Barbie-themed user interface (described as “extremely easy to navigate”), themed wallpapers, and app icons. Since HMD is promoting the phone as a vacation from smartphone hell, it even includes a digital wellbeing app.
The Barbie phone will be available on October 1st for $129. It will ship unlocked and ready to activate on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon networks. You can pre-order it at HMD Website Starting September 23rd.
