Come on Barbie, let’s go digital detox: New very basic smartphone launched in bid to break Gen Z’s addiction with their devices

Barbie’s influence on modern culture reached new heights in 2023 when the box-office smash film captivated audiences across the world.

But now the much-loved doll is being used to try and break Generation Z’s addiction to their smart phones through the re-introduction of a very basic flip phone. 

The pink device, manufactured by HMD, has no front camera, one game and limited access to the internet.

In a throwback to ‘brick’ phones from the noughties, youngsters cannot receive anything more than text messages on the mirror-fronted phone, which has no app store or touch screen.

It comes amid growing calls from concerned parents and campaigners to limit the time children spend on smartphones – or even ban the devices completely. 

The Barbie doll’s aura is being used to try and break Generation Z’s addiction with their smart phones (pictured: The new and old versions of the classic Barbie dolls) 

Gen-Z texters would however be able to ‘ghost’ or ignore friends and family with greater ease, as the devices do not have a read receipt function. 

However, many may struggle to send messages quickly as they adjust to the numbers and letters keypad.

There is also an opportunity to play the iconic Nokia game snake, which HMD have given a pink glow-up to and re-named Malibu Snake.

The devices will be way cheaper than their smartphone counterparts with a launch price of £99 in the UK – twice what you would pay for a non-branded Nokia feature phone.

There are plenty of other similar phones on the market – but none have been given the Barbie makeover.

‘Brick’ phones – which can only receive texts and calls – have already been introduced to pupils at £20,000-a-year Eton College, as schools across the country look to take action and help young people.

Britain’s most famous fee-paying school says it wants to ‘balance the benefits and challenges that technology brings to schools.’

Concerns about smartphone use ranges from the suspicion children will end up with shorter attention spans, to the fear that they might be exposed to harmful or illegal content.

This week, mobile network EE advised parents not to allow their under-11s smartphones at all.

The devices will be way cheaper than their smartphone counterparts with a launch price of £99 in the UK

HMD, which also makes phones for Nokia, is manufacturing the phones amidst growing calls from parents and campaigners to limit the time children spend on smartphones, or even ban the devices completely

Lars Silberbauer, a senior executive at HMD, told the BBC: ‘We’ve seen this surge which started in the US coming to Europe, that more and more people actually want to not be having a digital experience all the time.’

Some experts suggest that withdrawing smartphones is no real solution and instead children need to be taught how to use them in a healthy and safe way.

Ben Wood, a phone expert who has his own museum of devices, said: ‘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.’

But Mr Wood’s firm CCS Insight estimates that around 400,000 Barbie devices will be sold in the UK this year.

Mr Silberbaum added: ‘Do I want the smartphone with all the bells and whistles, or do I want to have something that can actually help me have a more considered approach to digital? That’s the choice we want to deliver.’