Barbie phone hits UK: The pink gadget helping kids with digital detox

A Barbie-themed phone has been introduced in the UK and Europe with the intention, according to its makers, of encouraging young people to take breaks from their smartphones.

The device is very pink and essentially very simple, with no front camera, just one game, and very limited internet access.

The manufacturer, HMD, which also produces phones for Nokia, says it's aiming to tap into what it describes as a "surge" of people seeking a smaller "digital impact" in their lives.

However, some argue that this goal would be better achieved by teaching people to use their devices in a healthier and more controlled manner.

There is increasing pressure from parents and campaigners to limit the time children spend on smartphones or even to ban the devices entirely.

Their concerns range from worries about children developing shorter attention spans to fears they may be exposed to harmful or illegal content.

Some schools are taking measures, notably the UK's most famous fee-paying school, Eton College, which is providing some of its students with "brick" phones – also known as feature phones – that can only send and receive texts and calls.

The school states it wants to "balance the benefits and challenges that technology brings to schools." This week, mobile network EE joined the conversation by advising parents not to give their under-11s smartphones at all.

Lars Silberbauer, a senior executive at HMD, says his company is responding to these trends. "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," he said.