HMD launches Barbie phone in partnership with Mattel By Reuters

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – HMD Global, which makes Nokia-brand phones, said it has teamed up with toy maker Mattel (NASDAQ: ) to launch the HMD Barbie Phone – a pink flip phone with a retro design.

The phone, priced at £99 ($131.24), is available from Wednesday. The device allows users to make calls and send messages, but does not provide access to social media applications.

The pink Barbie keyboard has hidden patterns of palm trees, hearts and flamingos that glow in the dark, the company said.

The release coincides with the Barbie doll’s 65th birthday this year and follows the success of last year’s “Barbie” starring Margot Robbie, which grossed $1.4 billion at the global box office.

“I’d imagine a lot of people will be tempted to buy it as a bit of fun, but in reality everyone is so addicted to their smartphones that anything other than the odd detox day is going to be a exaggeration,” said Ben Wood. , chief analyst at research firm CCS Insight.

Research firm CCS Insight estimates that HMD could sell more than 400,000 Barbie phones in the UK, where they will be available through Vodafone (NASDAQ: ) and Argos.

Finnish firm HMD, which is backed by Google and Alphabet’s (NASDAQ: ) Qualcomm (NASDAQ: ), has released several feature phones, including reissues of classic Nokia ( HE: ) phones such as the 3210 and 3310.

($1 = £0.7543)