HMD Barbie flip phone launching in July, launch timeline for other phones also revealed

HIGHLIGHTS

• HMD has made some new announcements at the MWC event today.
• The brand has revealed the launch timeline for three of its upcoming smartphones.
• HMD has also announced a Barbie flip phone.

HMD has just unveiled some new developments at the MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2024. The brand has revealed that it plans to manufacture new HMD original devices and will continue to sell Nokia smartphones. HMD will also launch a smartphone in May 2024, followed by three smartphones in July 2024. In addition, the brand has also revealed plans to launch a Barbie flip phone. Continue reading to find out all the relevant details.

• HMD shares that it plans to launch new smartphones this summer that “is a platform for innovation” and more accessible to communities.
• HMD will launch the firstsmartphone sometime in May, while three other smartphones will launch around July.
• This likely hints at HMD’s plans to launch mid-range smartphones that cater to a more diverse set of buyers and are, naturally, more affordable.
• This is in line with our previous leak, which mentioned that HMD Global will target budget and mid-range phones at launch and slowly expand to flagship models.
• HMD also emphasises that it will manufacture smartphones that are easy to repair.
• The brand revealed that it will continue to sell Nokia smartphones and will bring back an “iconic phone this summer.”
• What HMD means by “iconic phone,” we’re unsure, but it could be a new version of some of its old feature phones, or maybe even a Lumia device.
• HMD shares that with the upcoming smartphone launches, there will also be a “line up of exciting new brands coming to you this year.”
• This could refer to a product ecosystem with a range of products such as tablets, feature phones, and IoT devices, as per a report from ET.

HMD’s Barbie flip phone

• Speaking of feature phones, HMD has also confirmed that it will launch a new feature-flip phone.
• Made in partnership with Mattel, well-known for brands such as Barbie and Hot Wheels, HMD’s new feature phone is a Barbe flip phone.
• Since it’s a Barbie flip phones, its easy to conclude that the colourway is indeed pink.
• Unfortunately, there are no design reveals for the Barbie feature phone yet.

Customisable smartphone

HMD will launch a new smartphone, “HMD Fusion,”  which allows customisations. The phone will launch in July and allow users to change the “outfits” (the rear panel) to suit their needs. Users can not only make hardware customisations (by attaching hardware accessories) but also software customisations to cater to their personal needs. HMD will release a toolkit for developers and businesses that contains design files and information on software integration.

HMD showcased some examples of hardware customisations in their presentation, including an outfit with an extended battery, what appears to be a gamepad, and a barcode scanner. You can see these in the images above.