When should children get their first smartphone? It’s a hot topic at the moment, with people becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of the online world.
The big problem right now is that it’s often an all or nothing approach. Either a child has a so-called ‘dumbphone’ with very limited features, or they get near-unrestricted access to a smartphone and all the potential problems that come with it. Parental control software exists, but often doesn’t go far enough.
However, HMD might have found the perfect middle ground. In collaboration with kids watch maker Xplora, the company has created a budget phone that gives parents granular control over how and where their children use their phones.
In terms of specs, the Fusion X1 is identical to the original HMD Fusion that launched last year. The big difference comes on the software side, with an OS that can be remotely managed via a smartphone app on any Android phone.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Once paired, it allows a parent to limit access to any apps or the internet in general, including via set schedules. If you only want your child to use TikTok between 7-8pm, for example, you can do just that. A ‘School mode’ ensures they aren’t distracted while needing to focus.
You can also control who your child is talking to online by only allowing communication with pre-approved contacts.
This isn’t a one-way street, though. The child can still request to download apps from the Google Play Store, with the parent deciding whether to grant access and set a daily limit. They can also request extra time on an app that’s expired for the day.
As good as this sounds, I can see a problem. Say you want to give your child access to a web browser, but want to prevent them from going on social media or viewing harmful content. In its current form, the Fusion X1 doesn’t allow you to give access to specific websites and block others.
However, physical safety is just as high a priority as online safety. The Fusion X1 allows you to monitor your child’s location, including by setting up to 10 ‘Safe zones’ which will notify you when they leave and enter them.
Alongside the option to retrace their steps from the last three days, emergency SOS calls, low battery alerts and remote device access, the Fusion X1 provides a complete overview of your child’s safety.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Being highly customisable, the idea is that parents can gradually adjust the settings as their child becomes more independent.
That won’t be with the same device, though, with HMD only offering two major OS updates and three years of security patches from the Fusion’s initial 2024 launch. That means it won’t get Android 17 and will be unsafe to use beyond 2027.
And all this functionality comes at a cost. While the Fusion X1 itself costs a very reasonable £229, all of the features mentioned above require an additional €4.99 subscription (UK price TBC). It’s not something all parents will be willing or able to commit to.
If you’re interested, the HMD Fusion X1 will be released in May, with pre-orders expected to be available via the HMD website soon.
It sounds like a great way to gradually introduce children to smartphones while protecting them from many of the key dangers, but there are some significant compromises to be aware of.
See more of Tech Advisor’s coverage of MWC.
