HMD Global has introduced HMD Fuse, the company’s latest smartphone for Children. The company says that it is the world’s first smartphone that prevents children from filming or sending nude content, and from seeing or saving nude and sexual images – even within a livestream with HarmBlock+ with HarmBlock AI from SafeToNet.
This aims to provide a new option for parents concerned about their children’s online safety amid rising rates of cyberbullying and online risks.
The phone’s development was informed by “The Better Phone Project,” an HMD initiative that consulted over 37,000 parents and children. The feedback indicated a demand for a device that balances safety with functionality, as parents reported existing options were either too exposed to online risks or too locked-down.
Core Technology and Features
The central feature of the HMD Fuse is HarmBlock+, an AI-powered system developed by SafeToNet. Unlike app-based safety solutions, HarmBlock+ is integrated directly into the phone’s operating system. The developers state this makes the system tamper-proof and impossible for users to circumvent.
Key aspects of the technology include:
- On-Device AI: The HarmBlock AI operates locally on the handset, meaning it functions offline and across all apps, camera functions, websites, and messages.
- Privacy-Centric Design: As the processing happens on the device, no user data—such as photos, videos, or browsing history—is shared externally.
- Content Blocking: The AI, trained on over 22 million images, is designed to identify and block nude content, preventing its capture by the camera as well as its display or transmission.
Parental Controls and Adaptable Design
The HMD Fuse includes a comprehensive parental control system that allows for:
- App Management: Parents can approve or block specific applications, set daily time limits for each app, and schedule screen-free times for activities like bedtime or studying.
- Location Tracking: The device enables real-time location tracking, location history viewing, and the creation of safe-zone alerts.
- Communication Safety: A contact whitelist feature allows parents to limit calls and messages to a list of approved individuals.
The smartphone is designed to evolve with a child’s needs. Parents can initially configure it to operate as a basic phone with only calls, texts, and location tracking enabled. As the child matures, features like music apps, controlled web access, and messaging services can be gradually unlocked.
Other specifications of the smartphone are similar to the HMD Fusion and also comes two interchangeable outfits, including one case with a foldable LED light ring around the camera for selfies.
HMD Fuse specifications
- 6.56-inch (720 x 1612 pixels) HD+ LCD screen with 90Hz refresh rate, up to 600 nits peak brightness
- Octa Core Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 4nm Mobile Platform (2.2 GHz x 2 A78-based +2GHz x 6 A55-based Kryo CPUs) with Adreno 613 GPU
- 6GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB (UFS 2.2) storage, expandable memory up to 1TB with microSD
- Dual SIM (nano + eSIM)
- Android 15
- 108 MP rear camera, EIS, 2MP portrait camera with f/2.4 aperture, LED flash
- 50MP front-facing camera
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
- Dimensions: 164.15×75.5×8.32g; Weight: 202.5g
- Dust and water resistant (IP54)
- 5G SA/NSA, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS/ GLONASS/ Beidou, USB Type-C
- 5000mAh battery with 33W fast charging (wall charger not included)
Pricing and availability
The HMD Fuse comes in single Noir colour, and is now available in the UK, exclusively from Vodafone UK priced at 33 GBP a month (30 GBP upfront cost), and will be in retail stores and online at vodafone.co.uk/family.