STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – HMD Global, that makes Nokia- branded phones, stated it has actually coordinated with toymaker Mattel to release the HMD Barbie Phone – a pint-sized pink function flip phone with a retro layout.
The phone, valued at 99 extra pounds ($ 131.24), is readily available beginning onWednesday The tool permits individuals to make telephone calls and send out messages however offers no accessibility to social networks applications.
The Barbie- pink keypad has actually concealed layouts including hand trees, hearts and flamingos that illuminate at night, the firm stated.
The launch accompanies the Barbie doll’s 65th birthday celebration this year and complies with the success of in 2014’s “Barbie” flick starring Margot Robbie, which earned $1.4 billion at the international ticket office.
“I’d imagine quite a few people will be tempted to buy it as a bit of fun, but in reality, everyone is so dependent on their smartphones that anything more than the odd day of detox will be a stretch,” stated Ben Wood, primary expert at study company CCS Insight.
Research company CCS Insight approximates that HMD might offer greater than 400,000 Barbie phones in the UK, where it will certainly be readily available via Vodafone and Argos.
Finnish company HMD, which is backed by Alphabet’s Google and Qualcomm, has actually released numerous function phones, consisting of reissues of timeless Nokia phones such as the 3210 and 3310.
($ 1 = 0.7543 extra pound)
(Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee in Stockholm; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
