The HMD Barbie phone is a co-branded product with Mattel, the toymaking giant behind the franchise.
HMD
HMD, the company behind Nokia-branded phones, launched a Barbie-branded phone Wednesday that comes with calls, texts, and a classic “flip” design — but no internet or social media apps.
The HMD Barbie Phone is a hot pink device that flips open and shut and sports a bold “Barbie” logo on the back, harking back to the iconic fashion doll collection.
It is the result of a partnership with Mattel, the toymaking giant behind the Barbie franchise, which has produced and sold Barbie toys and accessories since 1959.
The phone is available for purchase in the U.K. starting Wednesday, retailing at £99 ($130.74). A U.S. launch is planned “soon,” according to HMD, which added that it will reveal exact details of the U.S. launch on social media.
Unlike the internet-connected smartphones of today, which are the most widely-adopted form factor when it comes to mobile devices, HMD’s Barbie phone won’t be connected to the internet.
The firm is seeking to capitalize on an emerging trend in recent years among mainly Gen Z consumers embracing so-called “dumb phones,” which lack internet and offer only basic text, call and camera features.
The concept of taking a “digital detox” has become more popular over the last few years as consumers have sought to limit harmful effects of social media on their daily lives.
“In our fast-paced digital world, it can often feel like the online buzz never stops,” Lars Silberbauer, chief marketing officer for HMD, said in a statement Wednesday.
“This phone encourages you to ditch your smartphone in times when you just want less browsing and more fun, all with the help of a true cultural icon, Barbie.”
The Barbie phone comes equipped with a 0.3 megapixel camera, along with a flash torch for taking “Y2K style” images, HMD said. When taking a photo, users can add a Barbie camera frame to go around their pictures.
The device will also sell with a hot pink Barbie cover, as well as two interchangeable back covers, including one with colored swirls and another with a shooting heart design. It also comes with Barbie-themed stickers and a pastel beaded phone strap.
HMD and Mattel are hoping to tap into the hype that swirled the Barbie franchise last year off the back of 2023’s “Barbie” movie.
The blockbuster film, which featured stars Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and Will Ferrell, grossed $1.4 billion at the box office, making it the highest-grossing film of 2023.
For some, there might be a sense that the phone’s launch is arriving a little too late after the film’s release last July.
Despite the phone’s launch arriving more than a year after the film’s release, research firm CCS Insight is forecasting promising sales for the device. It estimates HMD will sell 400,000 units of its Barbie phone in the U.K. this year.
“The Barbie phone taps into the current digital detox trend with a fun design that could have broad appeal,” said Ben Wood, chief analyst of CCS Insight, in emailed comments.
“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.”
HMD has held the rights to sell Nokia-branded mobile products since 2016 after striking a deal to acquire the Nokia mobile brand from Microsoft in 2016 with electronics industry supplier Foxconn Technology.
The company, which was then known as HMD Global, rebranded earlier this year as Human Mobile Devices. Nokia earns royalty payments on sales of devices with its brand by HMD.
A Tesla Cybertruck sits on a lot at a Tesla dealership on April 15, 2024 in Austin, Texas.
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Tesla shares slid more than 2% Tuesday after a report that the electric vehicle maker was halting production of Cybertruck and Model Y models for a week in Austin, Texas.
The production stoppage begins June 30, Business Insider reported, citing a staff meeting where the announcement was made. The pause, which is for maintenance on production lines, would be the third such shutdown at the Austin facility in the past year, according to BI.
Tesla is tentatively launching the robotaxi in Austin on June 22, using Model Y vehicles equipped with a new version of the company’s “Full Self-Driving” technology.
CEO Elon Musk shared a video clip on X last week of a Model Y robotaxi on a road in Austin, adding to the buzz for the promised launch.
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CNBC has reached out to Tesla for comment on the reported pause.
The two new features, announced Monday in a post during the Cannes Lions festival, will help brands better leverage discussions on the platform. The company said the tools are powered by an engine called Reddit Community Intelligence that turns “posts and comments into structured intelligence.”
Reddit announced a “listening tool” called Reddit Insights, which shares real-time insights with marketers to help them identify trends and launch campaigns. The other tool, called Conversation Summary Add-ons, allows brands to show “positive” user content under their ads.
“These are tools for a new era of community marketing, one where brands can tap into Reddit’s authenticity and connect meaningfully with high-intent communities around the world,” the company wrote.
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The company said Publicis served as the exclusive alpha tester for Reddit Insights, while Lucid and Jackbox Games were among the early testers for Conversation Summary Add-Ons.
Companies across industries are betting on new ways to harness AI to improve advertising campaigns and better engage with users. These new tools are transforming the industry while also putting pressure on some advertising stalwarts.
The industry is also currently navigating a bumpy environment spurred by the trade war with China.
During the recent earnings season, many companies warned of sluggish advertising sales in certain regions due to a rocky macroeconomic environment. Recent developments, however, have suggested a cooling of tensions between the U.S. and China.
Last month, Reddit posted strong sales and upbeat guidance. The company has benefited from recent changes to Google search and internal site improvements, which include convincing logged-out users to open accounts. Logged-in accounts are more beneficial to advertisers.
European defense technology startup Helsing on Tuesday said that it’s raised 600 million euros ($693.6 million) in a bumper new round of funding.
The investment was led by Prima Materia, the venture capital firm founded by Spotify CEO Daniel Ek and by Shakil Khan, an early investor in the popular music streaming app. Ek is also chairman of Helsing.
Existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners, Accel, Plural, General Catalyst and Saab also put money in, alongside new investors BDT & MSD Partners.
Defense and the technology behind it have become a hot area for investors lately, amid major global conflicts, including the Ukraine war to Israel-Gaza. Last week saw a further escalation of war in the Middle East as Israel launched a series of airstrikes against Iran.
In 2024, venture funding in Europe’s defense, security and resilience sector reached an all-time high of $5.2 billion, according to a recent report from the NATO Innovation Fund. The sector grew 30% in the past two years, outperforming the broader VC market, which saw a 45% decline over the same period.
Founded in 2021, Helsing sells software that uses artificial intelligence technology to analyze large amounts of sensor and weapons system data from the battlefield to inform military decisions in real time. Last year, the startup also began manufacturing its own line of military drones, called HX-2.
Helsing, which operates in the U.K., Germany and France, said it would use the fresh cash to invest in Europe’s “technological sovereignty” — which refers to attempts to onshore the development and production of critical technologies, such as AI.
“As Europe rapidly strengthens its defence capabilities in response to evolving geopolitical challenges, there is an urgent need for investments in advanced technologies that ensure its strategic autonomy and security readiness,” Ek said in a statement out Tuesday.
Helsing did not disclose its new valuation following the latest financing round, which is subject to “certain approvals,” according to a statement. The firm was previously valued at around 5 billion euros in a 450 million euro funding round led by General Catalyst last year.