Barcelona, Feb 25 (IANS): Human Mobile Devices (HMD) on Sunday partnered with Mattel, a leading global toy company, to create the Barbie Flip Phone that will arrive this summer.

The device promises to embody the vintage chic of the original girl empowerment brand with a dash of pink and of course, sparkle, said the company.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Mattel, a company that shares our commitment to meaningful innovation and societal change,” said HMD chief marketing officer, Lars Silberbauer.

Flip phones are beloved for offering a solution for a digital detox in a world where almost four in ten (38 per cent) of 16-24 year-olds worry they spend too much time on their smartphone.

Feature phones are making a comeback with HMD reporting Flip Phone sales alone more than doubled in Europe (2022 vs 2023) and expects further growth in 2024.

"The Barbie x HMD launch promises to be an exciting moment for Barbie fans of all ages, we're excited to flip the switch and unveil it to the world at Mobile World Congress,” said Ruth Henriquez, head of consumer products, publishing, and LBE, Mattel EMEA.

The company has also announced early plans for a new development platform called “HMD Fusion.”