Human Mobile Devices (HMD) unveiled a project to create a series of devices with input from parents, including a mobile phone sporting features designed to protect the mental wellbeing of children.

Under The Better Phone Project banner the company plans to hold a number of webinars and forums to gather the opinion of experts, campaigners and parent support groups in an attempt to better understand relevant issues.

HMD’s forthcoming phone is being described as “an alternative for a smartphone to give parents control over their child’s screen time and social media use”.

“As part of The Better Phone Project, HMD is looking to release the fruit of everyone’s labour and input within a year of the project’s launch,” the device company’s global head of insight, proposition and product marketing Adam Ferguson told Mobile World Live.

“We expect that to include the launch of at least one phone that aims to meet the needs raised as part of the project, but we will be guided by the inputs of those taking part.”

HMD is also hopeful the products and services created under the project will appeal to adults looking for what it describes as credible alternatives to a smartphone.  

The move is its latest around releasing handsets with stripped-down features, generally targeted at those attempting to distance themselves from social media and other online trappings associated with the full smartphone experience.

Concerns
Alongside outlining the aims of the project, HMD released the results of a survey of 10,000 parents it commissioned across the UK, US, India, Germany and Australia.

It found the average age a child was given their first smartphone was 11-years. More than half of respondents regretted handing their child a smartphone at that age. Concerns cited include the negative impact of social media apps.  

Other significant findings included 64 per cent reporting smartphones caused issues with a child’s sleep, while 61 per cent believed it cut the amount of physical activity undertaken.

However, more than half agreed the devices can have a positive impact, with education and keeping in touch with friends cited here.