Unboxing the HMD Barbie Phone
After years of effort, HMD has finally sent a phone for review before its official announcement. I might shed a tear because this has never happened in the 10 years I’ve been suggesting they do this. Anyway, the phone has now been announced, and I had the chance to unbox it and give it a quick hands-on review.
This phone is the result of a partnership with Mattel, the manufacturer of the world-famous Barbie doll. That’s why the HMD Barbie phone looks like an accessory you’d buy for a daughter who adores everything Barbie. It’s so pink it almost hurts my eyes, but my wife loves it.
The phone was released after the Barbie movie, which sparked the Barbie movement, but given the strength of the brand, it should sell well. The price of £99 or €129 might seem high, but the sales package includes a lot of extras like two additional covers, a colorful beaded lanyard, attachable charms, and even a cloth for cleaning the front mirror. There are also stickers and little gems to decorate your Barbie phone. Kudos go to HMD and Mattel for the creation of the box and usage of the paper wrapping for the phone and the battery. Also, the box can be reused to keep Barbie or some other jewellery.
The phone itself is essentially a modified Nokia 2660 Flip, so it doesn’t introduce much that’s new. However, HMD and Mattel made some changes, like adding a front mirror that hides the display, showing the time, date, and notifications. Unfortunately, the front mirror affects the display’s visibility in daylight.
The plastic frame has a glossy finish, making the phone feel more like a toy compared to the Nokia 2660, which has a matte finish. However, the build quality remains the same. The two extra covers come in different colors, allowing you to easily change the look of your Barbie phone. I tried the covers on the 2660 and the combo isn’t the best, hehe.
The T9 keypad is also a fun feature—when illuminated, it displays Barbie symbols like hearts, the Barbie “B,” flamingos, and palm trees. The material used for the keypad feels more rubbery than the 2660’s, which I personally prefer.
The rest of the phone is similar to the 2660, with the left side housing the USB-C charging port (a new addition), a 3.5mm jack, and a lanyard hole. The right side has a volume rocker and an SOS call button. The loudspeaker is rather good, well the same as in the 2660 Flip, but reproduces a good quality sound for a feature phone. The only difference is the a bit more powerful 1500 mAh battery that comes with the Barbie phone.
The UI has been heavily modified, with redesigned app icons and additional digital detox software like ‘Digital Balance Tips’ and ‘BarbieMeditation’ to help users feel better. In the settings, you’ll also find ‘Self-care Reminders.’ There are some fun extras, too, like the Barbie boot-up sound and a missed call from Ken when you first turn on the phone. You can access hidden features by typing *#barbie# or *#227243# for Barbie wallpapers, *#ken# or *#536# for greetings from Ken, and *#malibu# to hear the sound of Malibu beach.
The software is the trusty old S30+ which has been slightly improved :).
The S30+ software remains reliable, and HMD has improved it by enhancing the keypad tones and simplifying the menu, making personalization options easier to find. The phone includes all the essentials of a feature phone: a torch, FM radio, calculator, voice recorder, alarm, calendar, stopwatch, countdown timer, and converter. The classic Snake game is now set on Malibu Beach, and the only pre-installed app is a browser for checking details online, although the 2.8-inch screen isn’t ideal for modern internet content, even though the phone supports LTE.
The 0.3MP camera for Y2K-style photos is there and the resulting shots are really Y2K styled. Here are some shots.
All in all, this is a fun, customizable phone that will make a great first phone for kids whose parents want to limit their exposure to social media. The phone is already available in the UK and EU for £99/€129, with a US version coming soon.
The Barbie Phone is a playful twist on the nostalgic design that brings custom features, and digital detox tools which might make it a perfect first phone for Barbie fans.
Cheers to good folks at HMD for sending the phone for a spin!
