Meet HMD Fusion X1: Their phone, your rules.
HMD Fusion X1: A smartphone with enhanced safety for teens is here
Over the past few decades, the online world has become more and more complex and less predictable – especially for families, parents, and teens trying to navigate it safely. What was once a tool for learning and connection now comes with concerns that didn’t exist just a decade ago.
For parents, the rise of new social media platforms and the constant flow of digital content has made it increasingly difficult to stay ahead of potential risks. Children today can easily come across harmful content or interact with people they have never met, often without their parents even knowing.
To better understand how families are feeling, we conducted The Better Phone Project sessions alongside a global survey involving nearly 25,000 participants. The global survey included both parents and children from the UK, Germany, the United States, Australia, India and the UAE1. The results revealed growing concerns about online safety and digital wellbeing, highlighting the urgent need for thoughtful solutions that support both connection and protection. The global study found that:
- 51% of children have been contacted online by strangers.
- One in three has been encouraged to take conversations to private chat rooms or messaging apps.
- 56% of kids report being insulted or made to feel small online.
- 40% have been sent sexual or violent content.
- 52% of children feel addicted to their screens.
We believe in working towards a solution, bringing together a world where teens can enjoy their independence and technology without compromising safety and parents feeling uneasy.
Online safety, boundaries, and peace of mind: Why do we need a phone for teens?
Many families continue to question how best to introduce smartphones into their child’s life. Giving them a fully featured device can feel like too much, too soon, bringing concerns around screen time, social pressures, and online safety. On the other hand, keeping children disconnected from their peers and the digital world can also feel like a step back. The gap between these two options has made it clear that a more balanced solution is needed, not only from parents but from the tech industry as a whole.
Throughout The Better Phone Project sessions, we heard from several experts including Emma Lembke, founder of the LOG-OFF Movement. Despite her smartphone allowing her to be constantly connected, the overwhelming nature of all the adult capabilities left her feeling isolated.
“I was connected 24/7. I was scrolling mindlessly for five to six hours every single day on my device, not really knowing what to do as a young person…and what was worse is I felt completely alone and helpless”
Within The Better Phone Project Joe Ryrie, Co-founder and Director of Smartphone Free Childhood, shared his thoughts on the sudden emergence of smartphones:
“15 years ago, smartphones didn't even exist, let alone did children have them, you know, had it become normal for children to carry around in their pockets? And now they dominate the parental worry list because the speed of this technological change has been so rapid because as a society, we've sort of slept, walked into this situation where it's become normal to um because to carry these supercomputers in their pockets, often with unrestricted access to the internet. Well, obviously, there's lots of issues with that, but when everyone's doing it, it's almost impossible to act independently and deny your child the opportunity to go online. Because you risk sort of ostracizing them from their friendship groups exactly the point where you want to give them more freedom and responsibility. So parents felt like they were in this impossible position where they either hand over a device that they know is really risky and potentially very harmful, or they risk cutting them off from their social groups just at that critical moment of transition, typically in the UK, it's the transition from primary school to school to secondary school has become a rite of passage.”
It is important for all parties involved, including parents and technology companies, to take ownership and try to understand the challenges parents and teens face while working together to move toward better solutions.
Parental controls: tools for peace of mind, not power struggles
Giving your teen their own smartphone can feel like a big leap — suddenly, they have access to a whole world of apps, entertainment, and social media. But just because they have the phone doesn’t mean you should lose complete oversight as a parent. The HMD Fusion X1 is the perfect introductory smartphone. Essentially starting as a ‘brick’ phone, parents need to actively opt in - as opposed to jumping through hoops to opt out. Arne Mathiesen, founder of Dumbphone.dk enjoys that the smartphone virtually starts as a dumbphone.
“I’ve been working on digital detox initiatives for years, and it’s been great to collaborate with HMD. The launch of the HMD Fusion X1 is a strong step forward.
What stands out to me is that the phone comes out of the box with nothing on it—no apps, no distractions. It starts off as something close to a classic brick phone, allowing families to gradually add features, rather than trying to strip features away later, as is often the case with parental controls. This is a thoughtful, human-first design.
I always recommend delaying the introduction of a smartphone for your child as long as possible—it’s easy to upgrade, but very hard to downgrade. But once you reach the point where a smartphone feels like the right choice, I think that this device offers a more thoughtful design compared to many of the other smartphones on the market. I look forward to seeing even more innovations from HMD in this space this year.”
With built-in parental controls for apps, you can guide how your teen engages with their phone while gradually building trust and responsibility. The ability to approve or block certain apps means you’re not leaving your teen to navigate the digital world entirely alone. Whether it’s holding off on social platforms until a certain age or prioritizing educational tools over distractions, app access can be tailored to your family’s values.
And it's not just about what apps are allowed — it’s also about how and when they’re used. Smart time limits let you schedule screen-free hours for study time, bedtime, or family dinners. No more late-night scrolling or constant arguments about putting the phone away. These features allow you to set healthy boundaries without constant monitoring or micromanagement.
Keeping unwanted contacts out: How secure messaging protects young users
With 51% of children being contacted online by strangers1, keeping track of who children are talking to on their smartphone is a real and serious issue. Another expert we heard from during the Better Phone Project sessions was Luisa Fassi, a PHD student at the Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at the University of Cambridge, discusses how digital solutions need to be ‘software deep’.
“[companies need to] build tools inside the platforms and outside the platforms, to make this platform safe by design, or to help groups that might be more at risk.”
The HMD Fusion X1 also includes secure messaging, part of the parental controls built so that teens can’t get around them and included is as part of the Xplora subscription.
With this feature, teens can only send messages or make calls to contacts that have been approved via the parent’s device2. All parents need to do is approve contacts by adding them to a whitelist. This gives parents confidence in knowing how their teen is texting from their messages and allows the teen to remain connected in a safer digital environment.
Encouraging healthier relationships with tech
Throughout the global survey we also found that 52% of children feel addicted to their screen and on average, children are spending 4.5hrs a day on their phone1. In one of the Better Phone Project sessions attendees heard from Professor Gloria Mark, the Chancellor’s Professor of Informatics at the University of California. Professor Mark has dedicated over 20 years to understanding how technology influences our ability to focus. Her research reveals that our attention spans are now shorter than ever, averaging just 40 seconds. She emphasizes the importance of supporting children’s focus from a young age, particularly by setting healthy boundaries around apps and screen time.
The HMD Fusion X1 is committed to helping encourage healthier digital habits. Parents can easily manage when apps are used by switching them on or off directly from their own device. This means access to certain apps can be restricted after or before a certain time (like bedtime or school hours) so that teens are tempted by the distraction. The screen time limits (controlled from the parent's phone) help teens build a balanced relationship with their smartphone whilst still allowing them to use it for the purposes intended by the parent.
Location sharing for teens: safety first, peace of mind for everyone
Whether your children are walking to school alone for the first time or connecting with friends, in person or online, young people are now navigating spaces that haven’t existed previously. For parents, this can mean there is a need to find new ways to stay present while still present with your child and offer guidance, without being intrusive and allowing room for independence. With this, it can feel like a simple feature phone isn’t enough for the everyday adventures of today’s children.
Through HMD led research, we understand that families are looking for thoughtful and dependable tools that encourage safer activities, both online and offline. The HMD Fusion X1 helps parents understand where their teen is throughout the day, especially during their early stages of independence. With real-time location tracking, parents have access to clear views of their teen’s movements.
With updates every 24 seconds, you can check if they are on their way home from school or arrived at a friend’s house on time, all without the need for regular texts or calls. The HMD Fusion X1 also offers customizable Safety Zones, these allow parents to set trusted locations (like home or school) and receive alerts when your teen enters or leaves those locations. If you’re wanting to retrace your child’s steps, you can view the last three days of location data, updated every 5 minutes.
HMD Fusion X1: What’s in it for the teens?
The HMD Fusion X1 isn’t just there to keep the parents happy; it is packed full of features that teens will be obsessed with. From customization to learning content creation, the phone lets teens explore the digital world the way they want to with the peace of mind their parents enjoy.
- Swappable outfits are just the beginning – whether your teen is into taking selfies with their friends with the HMD Flashy Outfit or getting ready to become a gaming legend with the HMD Gaming Outfit, they can customize their smartphone experience4.
- Seriously good cameras – with a 108MP back camera and 50MP front camera, plus fun features like selfie gestures and slow-mo, teens can relive memories with great quality.
- Fix that broken screen! – The HMD Fusion X1 is built to be repairable3, fix a broken screen, charging port or replace a battery with self-repair kits.
- Need more screen time? – If your teen’s phone locks before they’re ready, they can send a request to the parent phone asking for more time. Your teen can also request app downloads and further app times.
We’re working towards a safer digital landscape
HMD Fusion X1 strikes a balance between keeping teens connected and helping parents feel confident about their child’s digital world. With features that promote independence, encourage healthy screen habits and offer just the right level of oversight, it’s a phone designed for real life.
HMD Fusion X1 is now available in select regions. You can find out more by visiting the HMD website.
- Based on a study commissioned by HMD and conducted by Perspectus Global of almost 25,000 parents and children in 5 countries: UK, US, Australia, India, UAE & Germany. The survey of 12,393 parents and 12,331 children (aged between 8 – 15) was conducted in January 2025. Based on a study commissioned by HMD and conducted by Perspectus Global. 10,092 parents were interviewed across 5 different countries: United Kingdom, the United States, India, Germany and Australia. The study was conducted in July 2024.
- Works with Messages and Phone calls. Safe contacts do not currently support third-party communication apps.
- Details available at hmd.com/self-repair.
- Smart outfits sold separately.
