Human Mobile Devices (HMD), has produced a feature phone dubbed ‘The Boring Phone’ as part of a partnership with Heineken and US brand and retail marketplace Bodega. In a world where phone makers are racing to launch flagships reliant on the latest chips, HMD has taken a step back to the basics. The phone is part of a campaign by the beverage company Heineken and Bodega to take “things back to basics with no access to the internet, social media or other“.
This new device will be shown for the first time on Thursday 18th April at a pop-up Bodega at Milan Design Week; the world’s leading festival for design and innovation. The companies collaboration is reliant on research that found about 90% of people admit to habitually scrolling on nights out. The Boring Phone is meant to help people discover there is more to their social life when there is less on their phone.
Hence, they designed these limited-edition phones that have fewer features so people can ditch their distracting smartphones and focus on real-life interactions on nights out. This phone has a clear case and holographic stickers, reminiscent of early 2000s mobiles. Ditching the modern distractions, it can’t download social media or apps that might steal your attention. Plus, it has a week of standby time and 20 hours of talk time, letting you connect for real.
“We could all do with a break from the constant distractions of smart tech; something our research has shown is even more important to our Gen Z and Millennial consumers. When we spoke to them about their smartphone usage, we quickly realised that many feel they are habitually distracted when socialising by their device but also admit they didn’t want to go completely phone-free,” said Nabil Nasser, the Global Head of Heineken.
When it comes to the biggest distractions, two-thirds of young people admit to checking social media (62%) when hanging out with others. About a third (36%), confess to checking work emails. Three in ten (30%) also revealed they sneakily play games instead of engaging with their family and friends in the moment.
HMD Boring Phone Features
The Boring Phone keeps things simple with a classic dual-screen design. The main screen measures 2.8 inches with QVGA resolution (240 x 320 pixels), and there’s a smaller 1.77-inch screen on the cover. For capturing memories it has a 0.3-megapixel camera with an LED flash on the back. The software is powered by Mocor RTOS, a lightweight operating system.
There is some features for entertainment, you’ll find the classic Snake game pre-loaded, along with an FM radio to tune in to your favorite stations. Plus, there’s a headphone jack for private listening
The Boring Phone is equipped with all the essentials for calling and texting. It can connect to 4G networks and even has space for two SIM cards if you need them. While it doesn’t have a lot of internal storage (128MB), you can add a microSD card for more space. The battery is removable and promises a long lifespan – up to a week on standby and 6 hours of talk time. The phone is Inspired by the Nokia 2660 Flip.
