HMD and Heineken combine for a flip phone that's boring on purpose

HMD is planning for a big year – as we learned at MWC in February, the custodian of the Nokia brand is going it alone with its next range of smartphones, which is something that was rumoured prior to the event. But nobody saw its first big product of the year coming.

The manufacturer has announced a partnership with Heineken and US fashion brand Bodega for a new flip phone with a difference.

The Boring Phone, as it is called, has no access to the internet, social media or, in fact, any apps at all. It's a basic feature phone designed to help users keep in touch while also undertaking a digital detox.

The reason why Heineken is involved in the project is that the handset allows owners to enjoy a night out without distraction from posting photos of everything that happens – to live in the moment rather than through a mobile screen.

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The device is made by HMD (Human Mobile Devices) and, because of its simplicity, comes with up to 20 hours of talk time. It can also last for a whole week on standby.

It is 4G capable (and can connect to 2G and 3G networks, if needed). There's an FM radio on board, plus 128MB of internal storage. A microSD card slot can expand that by up to a further 32GB, but we're not entirely sure what you'd need to store on it.

There's a dual-SIM tray, while a single 0.3-megapixel camera can be found on the rear. It's matched with an LED flash.

The internal display is 2.8-inches (QVGA) while a 1.77-inch screen sits on the outside of the flip cover.

The whole phone weights just 123g, while it measures 108 x 55 x 18.9mm.

The Boring Phone will be available in very limited quantities, first from a pop-up Bodega store during Milan Design Week on 18 April, then in other locations at a later date.

Pricing is yet to be revealed, but if you don't manage to get hold of one, an app with a similar "boring" experience will be launched in June.