In a bold move to address the growing concerns of online safety for children, Human Mobile Devices (HMD) has unveiled the HMD Fuse, a smartphone designed specifically for kids and families. Launched on August 20, 2025, and debuting first in the UK on Vodafone, the Fuse aims to offer parents peace of mind in a digital world where risks are ever-present and evolving. With its innovative HarmBlock+ AI feature and a suite of granular parental controls, the Fuse is already being hailed as a potential game-changer in the realm of family technology.
At first glance, the HMD Fuse looks like a solid, modern smartphone. It sports a 6.56-inch 720 x 1612 90Hz display, a 50MP front-facing camera, and a powerful 108MP main rear camera, all powered by a Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 processor, 6GB of RAM (plus another 6GB of virtual memory), and 128GB of storage. It runs on the latest Android 15 operating system and is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with 33W wired charging. Security is also a priority, with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor providing quick biometric access. But the real story lies beneath the surface, in the software and philosophy that drive the device.
Central to the Fuse’s appeal is HarmBlock+, an AI-powered system developed in partnership with online safety experts SafeToNet. Unlike traditional parental control apps that can often be bypassed by tech-savvy kids, HarmBlock+ is embedded deep within the phone’s operating system, making it virtually impossible to disable or work around. The system uses artificial intelligence, trained on over 22 million harmful images, to scan all onscreen activity in real time. If nudity or sexual imagery is detected—whether in a web browser, messaging app, livestream, or even through the camera itself—the content is automatically censored or blocked. The AI operates locally on the device, meaning no photos, videos, or browsing history are ever shared outside the phone, preserving the child’s privacy while keeping them safe.
"Human Mobile Devices (HMD) unveils the world’s first smartphone – HMD Fuse protected with HarmBlock+ – debuting groundbreaking HarmBlock AI from SafeToNet built into the device that works across the camera and screen. It prevents children from filming or sending nude content, and from seeing or saving nude and sexual images – even within a livestream," HMD explained, as reported by the Express. Richard Pursey, founder of SafeToNet, added, "This is a line in the sand. HarmBlock+ can’t be removed, tricked, or worked around. It doesn’t collect personal data. It just protects every time, across every app, including VPNs, with zero loopholes."
For parents, the Fuse offers a robust set of controls that go far beyond simple app blocking. Upon activation, the device is locked down by default—no social media, no app stores, and no internet browsing until a parent decides otherwise. Parents can whitelist approved contacts, ensuring that only trusted individuals can call or message their child. Suspicious numbers can be blocked outright. The phone also supports geo-fencing for up to ten designated safe locations, sending notifications if the child leaves these areas. Real-time location tracking, including location history and safe zone alerts, allows parents to keep tabs on their child’s whereabouts without being overly intrusive.
App installation and access are managed remotely from a parent’s device, with the ability to hide or reveal installed apps at any time. Daily usage limits and screen-free scheduling—such as for bedtime or study time—can be set for each app individually. As children grow and demonstrate responsibility, parents can gradually unlock more features, allowing the device to "grow with your child." This philosophy of gradual digital independence is at the heart of the HMD Fuse, aiming to strike a balance between safety and autonomy.
The development of the Fuse was no small feat. According to Digital Reviews, the device was born from the HMD Better Phone Project, a co-design initiative that consulted more than 37,000 parents and children globally. The message from families was clear: existing devices were either too risky or too restrictive, and safety apps were often too easy to bypass. The Fuse attempts to bridge this gap by making every feature opt-in, not opt-out, and by ensuring that parents maintain full control over what their child can access at every stage of their digital journey.
James Robinson, Vice President of the HMD Family, emphasized the importance of this approach at the launch event. "We believe this will be the most impactful smartphone launch of the year. We’ve created not just a new phone, but a new category. One that recognises children’s evolving needs and puts safety at the heart of the experience from day one. When you give your child a smartphone, you bring a stranger and unknown dangers into your home. You can’t watch them always online, but now you have peace of mind that there’s protection in place even when you can’t be there, all while keeping their privacy in place. That’s why we believe this is a huge step forward in making a safer phone."
These concerns are not hypothetical. According to global research conducted by HMD in 2025, one in three children worldwide have been pressured into unsafe private chats, and a third of Australian children have received sexual images, often via messaging apps. Nearly half of children have seen content they wish they hadn’t, and almost as many have been upset or frightened by something they encountered online. In the UK, research cited by Express found that one in five secondary school-aged children (ages 11 to 17) have felt pressured into sharing explicit images of themselves online. These sobering statistics underscore the urgent need for devices like the Fuse.
The Fuse’s pricing reflects its premium positioning and comprehensive safety features. Vodafone is offering the device starting at £33 per month, with a £30 upfront cost and 5GB of data. In Australia, the phone will be available outright for $799, including a 12-month HarmBlock+ subscription (with a $26.95 monthly charge thereafter). Retailers such as Harvey Norman and Officeworks will stock the device from August 28, 2025, with exclusive offers for customers signing up to eligible plans.
Of course, no technology is perfect, and the Fuse is not immune to criticism. Some teenagers may chafe at the restrictions, and even the best AI can experience a delay in blocking inappropriate content. However, as Digital Reviews noted after a live demonstration, the system was "pretty quick" in recognizing and blocking offensive images. And as HMD executives, many of whom are parents themselves, pointed out, technology is only one part of the solution—open conversations and ongoing guidance remain essential.
Dan Sexton, Chief Technology Officer at the Internet Watch Foundation, welcomed the move: "Children and young people are increasingly being exposed to criminals and predators who can target them through their phones, putting them at risk of grooming, exploitation, coercion, and abuse. We know any device with the internet and a camera can, sadly, be an open door for criminals to access any home and inflict the most extreme abuse. This can cost lives. This is why proactive efforts to make children’s devices safer are so important, and we welcome this move towards creating technology with safety baked in."
With its blend of advanced AI, privacy-centric design, and flexible parental controls, the HMD Fuse may well represent a new standard for children’s smartphones. As families seek solutions that balance connection with protection, the Fuse’s debut marks a significant step forward—one that could reshape how we think about kids and technology for years to come.
