HMD Global, the company that produces phones under the Nokia brand, has announced a new line of devices that involves one of the most iconic brands in the world: Barbie. In collaboration with Mattel, HMD has revealed the upcoming release of a Barbie-branded flip phone scheduled for July. This device represents just one of the new features planned for this summer, which will also include a new Nokia-branded retro mobile phone and an HMD-branded smartphone. Additionally, the company revealed early plans for a new development platform called “HMD Fusion.” While details on the price, technical specifications or features of the Barbie phone have not yet been disclosed, it is expected to be a traditional flip phone rather than a smartphone.
Adam Ferguson, HMD's Global Head of Marketing, confirmed that it will be a completely new device. “Barbie is not the kind of brand where you go with an off-the-shelf solution,” he said. The collaboration with Mattel extends plans first announced in September, when the Finnish company, now called “Human Mobile Devices” rather than simply “HMD,” said it wanted to break away from exclusively producing Nokia-branded products to sell devices under its own name and in collaboration with “exciting new partners”. Mattel represents the first of these partners, but Ferguson assured that it will not be the last, while not revealing further details on future collaborations.
As for the own-brand phone, the company is not yet ready to discuss specific details, but it is known that this will also be launched during the summer. This doesn't mean that HMD will completely abandon the Nokia brand. It has announced plans to “bring back an iconic phone”, in line with previous revitalizations of retro devices such as the Nokia 3310 and Nokia 8110. In addition to the branding announcements, HMD has unveiled some more product-focused initiatives. Among these stands out HMD Fusion, a new smartphone-style device that HMD offers as a do-it-yourself platform for technology enthusiasts.
HMD's ambition is to provide a device that end users or even companies can customize to their needs thanks to interchangeable parts. “HMD Fusion represents a qualitative leap in the world of technological customization, offering professionals and enthusiasts the ability to create solutions tailored to specific needs,” said Ferguson, illustrating examples of practical applications in various sectors, from medicine to entertainment.
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