Human Mobile Devices (HMD), a pioneering technological company, has made a recent announcement that it will be launching the Barbie Flip Phone. This innovative folding phone, designed in partnership with Mattel, has a notable purpose: to aid users in their pursuit of digital detox. Alongside the Barbie Flip Phone, HMD has also revealed plans for a new smartphone set to launch in summer, and the forthcoming HMD Fusion development toolkit.
The Finnish company, as early as September, already disclosed its plans to penetrate the mobile device market with its own unique brand. This new brand would coexist alongside Nokia, another brand that HMD manufactures devices for.
The Mobile World Congress technological event, a global event taking place in Barcelona from Monday to Thursday, February 29, serves as the platform for HMD’s bold proposal. The tech company aims to produce phones that are not only affordable, beautiful, and attractive but are also repairable. Their mission goes beyond aesthetics and utility – they aim to create devices that address pressing human technological challenges like e-waste and digital fatigue.
Since 2016, Nokia, a renowned phone manufacturer, has pledged to create new original devices under Human Mobile Devices. To this end, they have been collaborating with new partners such as the iconic toy manufacturer, Mattel. Together, they are developing an exciting new folding device.
The Barbie Flip Phone, as detailed on their website, is a folding phone set to hit the market in the summer. This phone will be equipped with a suite of retro features that aim to “change the script of phone culture.” The design of the device will reflect the vintage elegance of the original female empowerment brand, featuring the traditional pink color and glitter synonymous with the well-known Barbie doll.
While more details about the new device are yet to be disclosed, HMD emphasizes its potential as a solution for a ‘digital detox’ for younger users. The growing trend of using ‘basic phones’, those that lack the plethora of features typical of smartphones, among users looking to limit screen time for mental health reasons, underscores the potential market for the Barbie Flip Phone.
The collaboration between Mattel and HMD serves as a testament to their shared commitment to “enhance connections and allow some peace of mind amid the noise and digital interruptions.” In addition to Mattel, HMD has also hinted at collaborating with other ‘inspiring’ partners, details of which will be revealed later.
Jean-Francois Baril, the co-founder, president, and CEO of HMD, acknowledges the role of collaboration and support in their seven-year journey. With an ambition to adopt a multi-brand strategy, Baril plans to create new original HMD devices, Nokia phones, and collaborate with globally recognized partners.
NEW ‘SMARTPHONE’ AND HMD FUSION V1.0
Apart from the Barbie Flip Phone, HMD has a broader mission to make expensive digital tools “globally accessible and affordable.” To this end, the company has announced plans to launch a new self-developed smartphone this summer. The details of this phone remain undisclosed for now.
Continuing with this mission, HMD has also unveiled a first version of its developer and enterprise toolkit, HMD Fusion V1.0. This toolkit includes physical design files, the ‘hardware’ interface, and the ‘software’ development APIs, enabling the development of intelligent devices for HMD. This initiative aligns with HMD’s commitment to promoting open innovation and empowering developers and companies to enhance devices based on user needs.
REPAIR
HMD has also drawn attention to its efforts to combat electronic waste, which it acknowledges as a significant concern for both tech manufacturers and users. The company continues to produce repairable devices, making the repair experience accessible to everyone. In line with this, HMD has set an ambitious target – they expect half of their devices worldwide to be repairable by 2024.
To make the repair process more efficient, HMD is working on reducing the number of steps required to repair a screen on its devices. This move aligns with the growing Fix it Yourself (FIY) movement, encouraging users to undertake device repairs themselves.
