Heineken, in collaboration with street culture curators Bodega, is releasing the “Boring Phone” produced by Human Mobile Devices (HMD). It is a limited series of phones with limited specifications, which was created to encourage people to enjoy live communication and get away from their smartphones.
Smartphones have made it easier to connect to the online world, but with them, it is increasingly difficult to stay in the moment. Created by HMD for Heineken and Bodega, “Boring Phone” frees users from the distractions of modern smartphones. It is designed for basic needs and its main functionality is to make calls and send SMS.
The Newtro-style device has a transparent body and icons that refer to mobile phones of the early 2000s. The phone does not support social networks, and its charge in standby mode lasts for a week and up to 20 hours in talk mode.
A new study commissioned by Heineken of 4,000 Boomers and Millennials in the UK and US found that 90% of respondents frequently scroll through social media feed while chatting with friends and family, checking their devices an average of seven times per evening. 62% of respondents admitted that they open social networks while communicating with others, while 36% confirmed that they check their worksheets. Three out of ten respondents (30%) also noted that they secretly play games instead of socializing.
More than a third of respondents admit that they check their phones more often than they should during communication. 32% would like to be able to disconnect from their phones during evenings and weekends, and almost one in five respondents turn off or leave their phone at home before social events.
“We could all benefit from a break from the constant distractions of smart technology, which is more important to our consumers, the Boomers and Millennials,” says Heineken Global CEO Nabil Nasser. – When we talked to them about their smartphone use, we quickly realized that many of them notice that they look at the device on the level of habit, but also admit that they would not like to completely give up their phones.
“At the beginning of 2023, we noticed something interesting in the U.S. Boomer generation. They began to reduce the time spent in front of the screen to feel better psychologically, replacing their smartphones with simpler phones, said HMD Marketing Director Lars Silberbauer. “As big fans of disconnecting from the digital hustle and bustle, we are very excited to launch the ‘Boring Phone’ campaign with Heineken and Bodega.”
Heineken and Bodega will present the HMD-created “Boring Phone” at Milan Design Week on Thursday, April 18. June will also see the launch of an app that can make any smartphone ‘boring’ to give users the ‘Boring Phone’ experience without a physical device.
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