If you’re a diva in dire need of a digital detox, look no further. Just in time for summer, phone maker HMD has partnered with Mattel to drop a dream device: the first-ever Barbie Flip Phone.
The Barbie phone celebrates the iconic doll with a hot pink design and plenty of customisation extras, including stickers and replaceable covers. It’s also totally Y2K-coded, with an old-school QWERTY keypad, clamshell build and no social media.
Barbie Flip Phone: Features and design
The Barbie Flip Phone ticks all the retro boxes: there’s no TikTok, Snapchat or X — just girly vibes and good times. The phone features a front mirror, as well as two additional interchangeable cases: one with pastel hearts, and a swirl design based on 1992’s Totally Hair Barbie (a personal fave from my own millennial childhood).
HMD is also throwing in a matching beaded lanyard with a selection of charms, including Barbie’s white sunglasses, roller skates and ice cream. You can customise the phone further with the included vintage Barbie sticker sheet and silver and blue stick-on crystals.
Switch on the device, and you’ll be greeted with a 2.8-inch display, a ‘Hi Barbie’ boot-up sound and a missed call notification from Ken — yes, just Ken. You’ll also find a Barbie-themed interface and app icons, plus a light-up Barbie keypad with hearts, flamingoes and palm trees.
Other Barbie Easter eggs include ‘Malibu’ Snake, a twist on the classic phone game that sees the titular reptile chowing down on pink watermelons rather than apples. Installed apps include Barbie Meditation, as well as standard call and text features and even self-care tips.
As for the Barbie Flip Phone’s specifications, the device features a simple 0.3-megapixel rear camera with flash, plus Bluetooth, 4G connectivity, an MP3 player and FM radio capability. You’ll get 64MB of RAM and 128GB of storage, although a microSD card up to 32GB is also supported.
The removable 1,450mAh battery delivers up to 9 hours of talk time per charge, and the phone comes with a matching hot pink USB-C charging cable and jewellery-box style packaging.
Where can I buy the Barbie Flip Phone?
Make no mistake: the Barbie phone offers fun but relatively basic features. It’s a great option for users who want a simple but cute call-and-text device, and could be a perfect pick for Barbie-loving youngsters ready for their first phone. However, if you prefer the premium tech and endless useability of smartphones, this product isn’t for you.
HMD’s Barbie Flip Phone is priced at $199 RRP and will hit Aussie shores from September 5. You’ll be able to buy it from JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys, Big W, Officeworks and Amazon.
If you do pick up the Barbie phone, you’ll need to pair it with a SIM-only mobile plan. You’ll find some cheap prepaid options in the table below.
Here is a selection of prepaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard cost, lowest to highest, then by standard data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our mobile phone comparison tool to see a wider range of prepaid plans from other providers. This table includes products with links to referral partners.
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