HMD launches Fusion X1: A smartphone built for digital wellbeing
Human Mobile Devices announced six new devices and a new collaboration with Drew Barrymore at MWC 2025 called Project Wildflower at FC Barcelona´s Spotify Campu Nou.
At Mobile World Congress 2025, HMD (Human Mobile Devices) introduced the Fusion X1, its first smartphone designed specifically for teenagers, developed in partnership with Xplora. The announcement comes alongside new research, funded by HMD, revealing a concerning trend in children's smartphone use: over half of 8-12-year-olds believe they suffer from phone addiction.
As part of its Better Phone Project, HMD surveyed 25,000 children and parents worldwide, uncovering alarming statistics about the effects of unregulated smartphone use. Over half of the children surveyed had been contacted by strangers online, while 52% of 8-12-year-olds admitted to struggling with phone addiction. These findings have fuelled HMD’s push to create devices that encourage healthier digital habits.
Hollywood actress, entrepreneur, and mother Drew Barrymore took the stage at MWC 2025 to voice her concerns: “Technology has taken advantage of the tired parent. It's time to redefine how we live. I started this for my children, but I also truly want it for myself, and for you.”
Barrymore also teased ‘Project Wildflower,’ an upcoming collaboration aimed at disrupting mindless scrolling habits.
HMD’s Fusion X1 is built to help teens develop responsible smartphone habits while giving parents full control over content access. Through an Xplora subscription — starting at €4.99 per month — parents can regulate internet access, block social media, and manage app usage remotely.
The device also features:
Real-time location tracking with updates every 20 seconds and custom safe zones
Emergency SOS calling and low battery alerts
School Mode, which disables apps during school hours
Remote device access via the Xplora app
Unlike traditional parental control apps that can be bypassed, these features are embedded into the phone itself. The Fusion X1 is set to launch in May 2025, with pre-orders already open.
Recognising that no single device can completely shield children from online risks, HMD is taking its commitment further with SafeToNet integration. Launching this summer, SafeToNet’s AI-driven technology will provide on-device content filtering, automatically detecting and blocking harmful material before it reaches the user, without relying on external apps.
HMD CMO Lars Silberbauer stressed the importance of industry-wide change: “Smartphones shape childhoods, family dynamics, and society itself. The Better Phone Project is proof that change is possible when families, not corporations, lead the conversation. The Fusion X1 is just the beginning.”
Sten Kirkbak, CEO of Xplora, echoed this sentiment: “At Xplora, our mission is to onboard kids safely into the digital world. Partnering with HMD ensures that teens get enhanced safety from their first smartphone experience.”
The launch of the Fusion X1 signals the start of HMD’s new ‘Family’ portfolio, designed to support children’s evolving tech needs:
8-12 years: Building healthy digital habits early
13-16 years: Gradual introduction to smart features
16+: Preparing for responsible, independent tech use
While other brands are pushing AI and top-tech specs, HMD has taken a completely different tack. As the debate over screen time intensifies, HMD sees itself as a pioneer in family-focused mobile technology, offering parents a real choice in how their children engage with the digital world.
