OPPO, Honor, and Insta360 have all introduced "electronic stickers".

In an era where collecting anime merchandise is a common hobby and everything can be turned into a "pain item" (a term used in the otaku culture), it's no longer a novelty to see backpacks adorned with a variety of anime character badges.

Tech giants are also trying to join this trend, and electronic products have finally become "pain items" too.

On May 25th, OPPO and Honor released their respective "electronic badges" accessories. A few days before them, Insta360 also launched a similar product, turning a microphone into an electronic badge.

All three products use a small round screen device that allows users to freely change patterns, looking like an "electronic badge". However, there are slight differences in their functional positioning. Anyway, the manufacturers are all shouting out "otaku jargon" and marketing the idea of "unrestricted collecting of anime merchandise".

Insta360 even put the performance features in the background and boldly promoted its "Pain Mic" and "True - Electronic Badge".

OPPO's "badge bouquet" in the style of Song Yuqi attracted a lot of attention. Coupled with the unboxing videos of major 3C bloggers and trendy KOLs, the "small round screen" has become a "trendy companion".

Are consumer electronics wearing the coat of trendy toys? Are they a huge hit or a big flop?

The so - called "electronic badges", such as OPPO Bubble and Honor's "Magic Mini Screen", are essentially magnetic secondary screen accessories for mobile phones that can be attached to the back of the phone and offer a variety of play styles.

According to Honor's official introduction, it is a combination of "4K Live display + selfie preview + three - level fill light + remote control", which can be used to remotely browse Douyin and like videos.

Honor Magic Mini Screen

In terms of hard functionality, this small screen can be used as a rear - facing camera for selfie monitoring. This function avoids the embarrassment of "holding up the phone and pressing the shutter blindly, only to delete eight out of ten photos", greatly facilitating selfie and travel photography scenarios, without having to rely on luck for good shots.

However, what really touches the hearts of young people is the idea of "unrestricted collecting of anime merchandise" and "holding their favorite characters in their hands", which makes otaku and fans of idol groups extremely excited.

Both OPPO Bubble and Honor's Mini Screen can be connected to the phone via Bluetooth, allowing users to change the pictures on the screen at any time, supporting static images, live photos, and video loop playback. According to bloggers' reviews, both use high - refresh rate screens, and the images are presented very clearly.

OPPO Bubble

As a "tech - upgraded version" of traditional anime merchandise, electronic badges solve the problems of display in low - light environments and interactivity, creating a new way of freely changing content and inheriting the consumption habits of the anime merchandise economy.

"Once you have an electronic badge, you have countless badges."

Moreover, this "badge" is implicitly positioned as a fashion accessory. In OPPO's sales package, there is not only a gift box but also a limited - edition star - shaped keychain and a hanging rope. It can be used as a phone stand or an accessory, attached to a "pain bag", shoulder strap, or combined with a "pain bag" for a classic look. Even "PopSockets" would take notes on this highly personalized play style.

Honor also offers a "pet - raising game". By connecting to the phone app, users can choose their favorite electronic pets and interact with them on the small screen.

Insta360's Insta360 Mic Pro is essentially a microphone + e - ink screen. According to the product test released by @LINKEE, "The e - ink screen design doesn't reflect light and remains very clear even in strong light." Many unboxing reviews mention that "it turns a boring sound - recording tool into a highly personalized badge", which is very creative.

Insta360 Mic Pro

Such a cyber badge, which can be shown off, played with, provides high - definition and smooth experience, and can be used for selfie fill light. How much is it worth?

The price of OPPO Bubble is 499 yuan.

The individual price of Honor's Magic Mini Screen is 599 yuan. If you buy the limited - time package of Honor's 600 series mobile phones, you can get it by adding 399 yuan.

The standard retail price of Insta360 Mic Pro starts at 698 yuan, and the top - end set with two transmitters and one receiver costs 1998 yuan.

Truly a new trendy product!

In the social media comment section, you can see a big change in attitude: Some people "break down the functions into modules and compare prices", saying that "the only useful function is to be used as a rear - facing camera for selfies, but similar white - label products can be bought for dozens of yuan, and there are more options for 200 yuan, with larger screens."

It's a dilemma for netizens whether to spend the money on two hot pot meals to buy an electronic playmate or add a little more money to buy a smartwatch.

However, considering that both products are deeply tied to their own product ecosystems: OPPO's product can only be used with corresponding mobile phones, and Honor's needs to be compatible with the new 600 series phones. This still blocks many buyers -

"Buy the one that is compatible with Apple first!"

What parameters can't save, let fashion transform

In fact, in the past two years when the anime merchandise economy was booming, white - label manufacturers had already tested the waters before the big tech companies.

Baoshijiao claims to be the "pioneer of dynamic electronic badges", and the sales volume of its single product link on Douyin has reached 13,000. There are also merchants focusing on electronic badges that have attracted 13,000 followers on a single platform.

These new cyber species are emerging like mushrooms... Their shapes have changed from round to square, and there are electronic hanging cards with square electronic screens. Later, they incorporated the AI concept and became touch - screen phone airbag stands; or combined with the gameplay of pet - raising and interaction, stuffed into plush jackets to create products similar to AI - companion hardware.

Some trendy clothing brands also use electronic badges as replaceable decorative accessories. Even the "tears of the era", electronic photo frames, are trying to make a comeback in the market.

However, electronic badges were questioned to some extent in the early stage of their launch.

After all, the core group of anime merchandise collectors pursues physical possession, the limited nature of genuine collections, and high - density display to achieve the feeling of "being surrounded by their favorite characters", which is the core value for emotional satisfaction.

Nevertheless, there is no shortage of consumers eager to try these "emotional electronics". On a certain social media platform, the topic #Electronic Badge# has reached 45 million views.

Undoubtedly, consumer technology is evolving into a fashion statement. Vogue Business uses Cute Tech to define the trend of consumer electronics becoming trendy and fashionable accessories in its annual market forecast.

"In 2025, it was the budding period. Consumer - grade technology products have changed from tools to fashion accessories, focusing on 「warmth and emotional connection」, and this trend continues."

The pioneer of electronic pets, 「Tamagotchi」, is a typical example. This electronic toy product that emerged in the last century, with a colorful plastic shell and a mini pixel screen, once suffered huge losses in the billions.

Tamagotchi's collaboration with POPSOCKETS

It wasn't until recent years that it "made a comeback" on social media and became a bag accessory and a trendy item. Especially with the resurgence of the Y2K style in recent years, Tamagotchi has become widely popular with its combination of "retro digital items + fashion accessories".

Today, people consume it not just for its function but because it can represent a certain aesthetic and emotion.

Its parent company, Bandai Namco, has also noticed this and has carried out a lot of collaborations, limited - edition shells, and cooperation with the fashion and consumer industries, appearing on the catwalk and having KOLs showcase different outfits.

This lifestyle - oriented operation method has doubled Tamagotchi's global sales from 2022 to 2023, and the cumulative shipment volume exceeded 100 million units in August 2025.

Similarly, wired headphones are also making a fashion statement. With the return of the millennium - style retro trend, young people are abandoning the minimalist style and using retro wired headphones as personalized accessories.

Even the once - discarded "electronic antiques" have become trendy items in the eyes of young people. Those old "digital waste" carry the freedom, boldness, and romantic spirit of a certain era, and people keep looking back and finding fun in them.

In an era where people value emotional value, it is also catalyzing the development of consumer electronics.

The "electronic badges" of mobile phone giants are also playing the card of fashion and trend: attempting to create a new generation of "social currency".

The smartphone industry has entered a stage of stock competition, and the space for hardware innovation is narrowing. The room for competing in performance parameters and the functionality of screens and cameras is becoming increasingly limited.

Smartphones have "notch screens" and "Dynamic Island"; after defeating cameras, smartphones have brought back large - circular camera modules similar to those of cameras... These "minor innovations" are becoming less and less likely to impress consumers.

It's obvious when looking at the global "purchasing power".

According to Counterpoint data, the global mobile phone replacement cycle reached about 43 months (about three and a half years) in 2024. The saying "Use a phone for three years, then another three years, and with a new phone case, it can last another three years" is becoming a reality.

Merchants are also consciously enriching the digital life experience. Especially since each manufacturer has established its own ecosystem, in the future, hardware competition may not only focus on performance but also on content in combination with their own ecosystems.

Electronic badges are a product of this background - "What you're changing is not just a piece of hardware, but a new social gameplay."

However, when manufacturers' product strategies become the same, will it turn into a new round of comparative competition?

This article is from the WeChat official account "PlayerEra" (ID: PlayerEra), written by PlayerEra and published by 36Kr with authorization.