Introducing The Flipper: The phone case that stops you scrolling on a night out
It’s like if a mother designed a phone case
Ever found yourself scrolling during a night out? Whether it’s because you’re awkwardly waiting for a friend to come back from the loo, or because that one friend is recounting the same boring golfing anecdote they’ve told you five times already, we've all had a quick check of the socials whilst out with friends.
Enter Heineken, who have officially launched ‘The Flipper’ - a phone case which quite literally flips your phone face down when it senses people are out having a good time. Although it feels a bit Black Mirror-esque, it works by using clever voice detection technology, in an attempt to stop you getting distracted by a barrage of notifications when interacting socially IRL.
The case has been tested out by Swedish inventor and robotics enthusiast Simone Giertz to see if it actually works. The prototype phone case has been created by Heineken and is a world-first of its kind. The device uses an AI-trained listening tool, connected to a robotic arm to flip the phone nestled inside it. When it hears the word “cheers” (the universal signal of the start of a good time) it gets flipping.
It was created in response to a survey which concluded that more and more of us seems to be turning to our screens. Getting distracted by socials and subbing the people we’re with has become so common that there is now an actual word for this action: phubbing.
This is not the first time Heineken has ventured into experimental tech. They previously created The Closer - a high tech bottle opener that was produced in response to the ‘always-on’ hustle culture. When used to open a beer bottle, the bottle opener immediately shut down work apps, meaning drinkers were free to enjoy a beer without any emails or work notifications - delightful.
Nabil Nasser, Global Head of Heineken, said: “Smartphones and their array of social media apps are essential in our everyday lives, but the habit of scrolling through socials rather than having a good time in person is affecting the quality of our face-to-face interactions.
“Bars are some of the best places to socialise and make new connections, and we thought The Flipper is a fun way to encourage people to flip off their socials and demonstrate why being present with those around you is so important.”
Even if you can’t get your hands on one of The Flipper phone cases (not available for actual purchase), you can still try and replicate it manually whenever you’re headed out with your mates.
