Latest news with #HMDGlobalOy
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
HMD Unveils Phone With Parental Controls and Social Media Locks
(Bloomberg) -- HMD Global Oy, the company known for selling phones under the Nokia brand, unveiled a new handset that will give parents more control over when and how their children get online. Cuts to Section 8 Housing Assistance Loom Amid HUD Uncertainty Remembering the Landscape Architect Who Embraced the City NYC Office Buildings See Resurgence as Investors Pile Into Bonds How Upzoning in Cambridge Broke the YIMBY Mold Hong Kong Joins Global Stadium Race With New $4 Billion Sports Park The HMD Fusion X1's operating system lets parents block access during school hours or bedtime, whitelist pre-approved contacts that can call, and see when their children leave designated safe areas. Social media and web browsers are also within the parent's control, a significant feature at a time of growing concern about internet content. Governments around the world are implementing measures to address potential online dangers for children, with Australia taking the most direct action by banning people under 16 from social networks. Studies for years have shown that smartphones can have an impact on kids' safety, mental health and academic performance. In Europe, France and Denmark have banned phones at schools for students under a certain age. HMD, which is based in Espoo, Finland, has built up a portfolio of devices aimed at addressing gaps in the market. Beside smartphones, the company sells a selection of simpler feature phones, including one co-branded with Mattel Inc.'s Barbie. It's also among FC Barcelona's sponsors. The Fusion X1 will be on sale in May at a price between $250 and $300, the company said. Established vendors of so-called starter smartphones for children include Pinwheel and Gabb, which have been selling such devices for more than five years. Light Phone, which caters more to adults in search of a break from smartphones, also has partnerships with various schools. Still, the market for basic feature phones is only a small fraction of the overall industry and shrinking. North America saw one of the steepest declines in sales of feature phones, decreasing 38% between 2023 and 2024, while western Europe saw an 11% drop, according to Counterpoint Research. Rich People Are Firing a Cash Cannon at the US Economy—But at What Cost? The US Is Withdrawing From Global Health at a Dangerous Time Trump's SALT Tax Promise Hinges on an Obscure Loophole Walmart Wants to Be Something for Everyone in a Divided America Warner Bros. Movie Heads Are Burning Cash, and Their Boss Is Losing Patience ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Bloomberg
02-03-2025
- Bloomberg
HMD Unveils Phone With Parental Controls and Social Media Locks
HMD Global Oy, the company known for selling phones under the Nokia brand, unveiled a new handset that will give parents more control over when and how their children get online. The HMD Fusion X1's operating system lets parents block access during school hours or bedtime, whitelist pre-approved contacts that can call, and see when their children leave designated safe areas. Social media and web browsers are also within the parent's control, a significant feature at a time of growing concern about internet content.
