Labubu maker denies phone rumors amidst reports of Honor collab

The Beijing-based Pop Mart, maker of the highly sought-after Labubu toys, has reportedly teamed up with Chinese phone manufacturer Honor on co-branded products.

The two companies are collaborating on a product inspired by Pop Mart’s designer-toy aesthetics, according to Chinese media reports.

There are few details available about the collaboration, but it is likely to include co-branded phone cases or phone models with designer toy elements, the reports said, with some noting the new product may be unveiled as soon as next week.

Neither Pop Mart nor Honor has announced the collaboration on their official channels, although both have been quoted by media outlets as confirming the partnership.

Pop Mart has also denied rumors that it was developing its own smartphones. The company is best known for its “blind boxes” containing designer toys, including Labubu figures, which became a global phenomenon last year.

Meanwhile, Honor is among the fastest-growing smartphone brands globally, but has yet to crack into the top five dominated by Apple, Samsung, and Chinese rivals Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo, despite a noteworthy competitive edge in some areas.

As the Labubu craze dwindles – with some influencers putting the toy on their lists of trends that are “out” this year – Pop Mart is looking for new ways to reach customers.

The company has previously found success through collaborations, including a partnership with Chinese tech giant Tencent on blind boxes featuring characters from the mobile game Honor of Kings.

Tie-ups with Coca-Cola and the manga franchise One Piece also boosted sales, as did the launch of mini Labubu figures last August, which are designed to be attached to mobile phones.

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