#toy-industry

#toy-industry

In the Central California case, Spin Master is asserting U.S. Patent No. 9868073, titled Transformable Toy and issued to Spin Master this January. It claims a transformable toy having a toy body, an auxiliary component coupled to the body and rotatable towards the body to a rollable closed position or away from the body to an open position, an auxiliary component elastic element which biases the auxiliary component to the open position away from the body, a locking component including a latch and a keeper to retain the auxiliary component in the closed position and magnetically-responsive members associated with the locking component which disengage the latch from the keeper when the members are brought into the proximity of each other.

"The age of toys is ... over?"

It's only September, but the world's toymakers and designers are converging on El Segundo this week for an industry conference to decide on the hottest toys for next year. The city has long been a hub for the toy industry as companies like to set up shop in the shadow of Mattel, the maker of Barbie. This week, the industry opened a new tower of toys, an office complex featuring 65 showrooms for toy companies to showcase their products and discuss design with wholesale customers.

Labubu, a furry doll made by the Chinese toymaker Pop Mart, has gone viral this year, with K-pop stars influencing its popularity in South Korea.

This partnership will bring AI-powered experiences to Mattel's iconic toy brands like Barbie and UNO, marking a new venture for both companies in innovation.