Can Barbie help beat teen smartphone addiction?

A new phone called the Barbie phone has been introduced in the UK and Europe, and its makers claim it is designed to help young people reduce their smartphone usage. This phone is bright pink and resembles a flip phone from the early 2000s, featuring large numbers and a small screen. The Barbie phone is quite basic, lacking a front camera, offering only one game, and providing very limited internet access. HMD, the manufacturer that also produces Nokia phones, believes there is a growing demand for devices that have a smaller digital footprint. However, some experts argue that instead of creating a new phone, it would be more beneficial to educate young people on how to use their existing devices in a healthier manner. There is an increasing concern among parents and advocacy groups regarding the amount of time children spend on smartphones. They worry that excessive screen time may lead to shorter attention spans and expose children to harmful or inappropriate content. In response to these concerns, some schools have begun providing students with 'brick' phones, which can only send and receive calls and texts. These schools aim to strike a balance between the advantages and challenges that technology presents in educational settings. Recently, some schools have even advised parents against allowing their children under the age of 11 to have smartphones. Lars Silberbauer, a senior executive at HMD, stated that the company is responding to these trends. He noted that there has been a noticeable increase in people wanting to limit their digital experiences. While some may question the true intentions behind HMD's new phone, Mr. Silberbauer did admit that he would love to include a messaging platform like WhatsApp in the Barbie phone. I decided to spend a day using the Barbie phone, and it was evident that it served as an effective digital detox due to its limited functionality. The phone is a mirror-fronted flip phone that lacks an app store or touchscreen capabilities. I was unable to access any social media, and the phone could only receive basic SMS messages. This limitation meant that I did not receive many messages, as many smartphones come equipped with features like 'read receipts' and notifications indicating when someone is typing. Typing on the number keypad was significantly slower than using a touchscreen keyboard, which led me to make more phone calls than usual, a change that I found refreshing. I also discovered that there are only so many times one can play the retro game Snake, even when it is rebranded as Malibu Snake and comes in pink. As I walked around Glasgow city center with the Barbie phone, it attracted a lot of attention, particularly from girls and young women. However, there is a potential downside: instead of asking for a smartphone, children might start pestering their parents for Barbie merchandise, which could be equally frustrating. The Barbie phone is priced at £99 in the UK, which is twice the cost of a standard non-branded Nokia feature phone. There are numerous other phones on the market that offer similar limited functionality without the association with a major brand. Ben Wood, a phone expert, speculated that many people might be tempted to purchase the Barbie phone for fun, but in reality, most individuals are heavily reliant on their smartphones. He believes that using the Barbie phone for more than a day as a detox would be quite challenging. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that there is a market for what are sometimes referred to as 'dumbphones. ' His company, CCS Insight, estimates that around 400,000 of these phones will be sold in the UK this year, presenting a lucrative opportunity for HMD. Some experts argue that simply removing smartphones from children's lives is not a viable solution, as they are deeply integrated into our daily routines. Instead, they advocate for teaching children how to use their devices in a safe and responsible manner. Pete Etchells, a professor of psychology and science communication, emphasized the importance of developing strong digital literacy skills in the younger generation. He believes that we can all improve our ability to use our phones in a healthier and more resilient way. HMD is also working on a separate project to create a new device in collaboration with parents. So far, over 1,000 individuals have signed up to contribute to this initiative. Mr. Silberbauer acknowledged that the resulting device may fall somewhere between a dumbphone and a smartphone. He expressed the desire to provide consumers with a choice between a fully-featured smartphone and a device that encourages a more thoughtful approach to digital usage.