HMD really wants us to have more fun. Earlier this year, it announced a collaboration with Mattel on an upcoming Barbie flip phone. Now, it’s teaming up with Heineken and creative firm Bodega on another effort designed to tap into nostalgia: the Boring Phone. There are more details on Heineken’s site — which you’ll need to be at least 21 to view — but basically it’s a translucent flip phone with no apps, just good retro vibes to help you connect with your friends over a cold one.
The Boring Phone is a nostalgic branding exercise by HMD and Heineken
No apps, web browsers, or email, but you can play Snake on it.
No apps, web browsers, or email, but you can play Snake on it.
is a senior reviewer with over a decade of experience writing about consumer tech. She has a special interest in mobile photography and telecom. Previously, she worked at DPReview.
The Boring Phone is apparently real — I know, I was skeptical, too — but it will only be available through giveaways and isn’t going on sale. It’s a limited edition run and Heineken’s website indicates 5,000 will be made. There’s a 2.8-inch QVGA display on the inside, a 1.77-inch display on the outside, a 0.3-megapixel camera, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It supports calling and texting via 2G, 3G, and 4G, but good luck finding a functioning 3G network anywhere in the US.
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Specs are beside the point, though; the Boring Phone is a marketing stunt and, honestly, a pretty fun one. If you need navigation, Heineken’s promotional website suggests that you simply text your friends for directions. You can also play Snake in a nod to HMD’s Nokia license. And once again, translucent tech is in the news. Call it a comeback.
The Boring Phone will be available through social media giveaways in the UK, with other markets to follow later in the year. And if you don’t happen to win one, you’ll be able to download an app that “turns smartphones boring” starting in June. Sign up on Heineken’s website to stay on top of all things Boring Phone.
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Cameron Faulkner
Andrew Liszewski
Antonio G. Di Benedetto
