HMD has partnered with Xplora, a leading provider of children’s smartwatches, to create smartphones that promote responsible usage among young people.
HMD, popular for its feature phones and initiatives like Detox Mode, aims to address the growing parental demand for technology solutions tailored to children’s needs. This collaboration with Xplora seeks to provide a safe and balanced introduction to the digital world.
HMD’s Better Phone Project, launched earlier this year, further underscores this commitment. A global survey of 10,000 parents revealed that over half regretted giving their child a smartphone too early, citing negative impacts on family time, sleep, exercise, and social interaction.
To offer healthier tech alternatives for children and teens, HMD is developing a range of new solutions, including a novel phone concept specifically designed to meet their unique needs. This collaboration will enable Xplora to expand its reach and impact.
Together, Xplora and HMD will create tools that empower parents to manage screen time, navigate social media, and guide their children toward a healthy and confident digital experience.
Xplora is targeting the first showcase of the new products and services at the Mobile World Congress in March 2025.
Commenting on the partnership with Xplora, CEO and chairman of HMD, Jean-Francois Baril said:
We are excited to join forces with Xplora to deliver tech solutions tailored to the unique needs of children and young people. At Human Mobile Devices, putting ‘human’ at the core of everything we do is in our DNA. Our teams oversee the complete development process, from software to hardware, ensuring top-tier quality, certification, and security. This allows us to foster a healthy and positive relationship with technology—providing all the essential features, without any unnecessary distractions.
Xplora CEO, Sten Kirkbak, said:
We are thrilled to collaborate with HMD in our expansion into the youth market. This partnership not only delivers the best possible tech devices for our customers but also expands our products allowing our customers to continue their journey with Xplora beyond the smartwatch stage.