In a detailed discussion with Gulf Business, Sanmeet Singh Kochhar, the VP for HMD Europe and AMEA, outlines how HMD is pioneering a human-first design ethos through the newly established HMD Family division. The dialogue highlights rising interest in healthier digital habits, modularity, and eco-conscious innovation across the AMEA region, with HMD positioning itself to shape a more mindful future for mobile technology. The conversation covers the core philosophy behind the division, the Better Phone Project, and how parental input informs product design to address children’s digital wellbeing. It also delves into the Fusion X1 and its collaboration with Xplora, the research findings on children’s online experiences, and the broader strategy for feature phones, accessories, and sustainability in AMEA. The aim is to translate user wellbeing into practical, scalable devices and experiences that balance connectivity with responsible digital use.
A human-first design philosophy and the birth of the HMD Family division
HMD’s approach centers on returning the human element to mobile technology, ensuring devices enhance daily life without compromising wellbeing. The HMD Family division was created with a clear purpose: to deliver solutions that balance the benefits of connectivity with digital responsibility. This division embodies a philosophy that technology should support healthy habits, especially for younger users, while preserving independence and usefulness for all age groups. The core idea is to design devices that respect users’ time, attention, and mental health, recognizing that smartphones are now embedded in the fabric of daily life and society at large. This mindset translates into development choices that prioritize safety, clarity, and control, rather than simply adding features for feature’s sake. The decision to establish the HMD Family division reflects a commitment to a long-term, human-centric product strategy rather than short-term, technology-driven advances.
An important milestone is the launch of the Better Phone Project, initiated last July as a collaborative community endeavor to co-create a safer and better phone experience. This initiative arose in response to direct feedback from parents who called for more responsible options for their children. Since its inception, the project has engaged with parents and teens across 84 countries and collected insights from approximately 40,000 families. This broad engagement has provided a robust foundation for designing devices that genuinely address the needs and concerns of families navigating the digital landscape. The project’s outcomes are now guiding HMD’s product roadmap, with two new devices planned for release this year, beginning with the HMD Fusion X1 in May. The Fusion X1 is explicitly designed to help teenagers build healthy digital habits while remaining protected, representing a practical implementation of the family-first philosophy.
In line with the Better Phone Project, HMD emphasizes that smartphones are not merely tools for communication; they are integral components of daily life and social interaction. The company’s stance is that technology should improve quality of life and wellbeing rather than intensify stress or risk. By incorporating parental input into the design process, HMD aims to ensure that features such as controlled screen time, location tracking, and user experiences that are straightforward for younger audiences are built into devices from the outset. This approach aims to create tools that empower both parents and teens to navigate the digital world with greater confidence, reducing potential negatives while preserving the benefits of connectivity. The overarching aim is to foster a healthier relationship with technology, rooted in practicality and responsiveness to real-world family needs.
Beyond the immediate product benefits, the division’s philosophy expands into how products are developed, tested, and refined. It emphasizes the importance of involving families in the development journey, not merely as end users but as co-creators whose lived experiences inform design choices. This collaborative approach seeks to translate parental concerns about screen time, online safety, and mental health into concrete, actionable features within devices. In doing so, HMD aspires to shape a future for mobile technology where digital engagement is sustainable, mindful, and balanced across age groups. The human-first design ethos thus becomes a unifying thread linking concept, research, prototyping, and eventual market launches in a coherent, values-driven strategy.
The fusion of the division’s principles with real-world outcomes is evident in the path to launching new devices this year. The Fusion X1 is presented as a “first step” into the digital world for teens, combining independence with essential protective controls for peace of mind for parents. The product strategy in this phase emphasizes a carefully calibrated balance: enabling youths to explore and learn in an increasingly connected environment while ensuring that families retain meaningful management and oversight. The emphasis on accessibility, simplicity, and safety is designed to make digital initiation a constructive experience rather than a source of risk. This aligns with a broader market move toward digital wellbeing and responsible design, where consumer needs for trustworthy devices are addressed through thoughtful hardware and software integration rather than through punitive restrictions.
In shaping the HMD Family division, HMD reinforces its reputation for long-term commitment to the AMEA region, leveraging its established understanding of local markets, cultures, and consumer expectations. The division’s emphasis on human-centric design is complemented by attention to sustainability, repairability, and modularity—attributes that not only contribute to better user experiences but also align with broader environmental and economic considerations reflected in regional consumer trends. By foregrounding human wellbeing in its design language, HMD aims to differentiate its products in a crowded market and to build lasting trust with families seeking reliable, responsible, and age-appropriate technology solutions.
The strategic importance of parental involvement cannot be overstated. HMD recognizes that parents are critical stakeholders when it comes to devices used by younger users. Their input informs practical features and safeguards that help cultivate healthier digital habits from an early age. The result is a product ecosystem that supports families through practical tools—ranging from screen time management to safer communication channels—while preserving the user’s autonomy and the device’s core utility. In sum, the HMD Family division embodies the company’s commitment to human-first design by translating lived family experiences into tangible product features and service concepts that aim to make mobile technology safer, more intuitive, and more aligned with everyday life.
As the division progresses, the emphasis on clarity, accessibility, and usability remains central. The design philosophy seeks to minimize complexity for young users while maximizing parental confidence through transparent controls and predictable behavior. The broader objective is to establish a standard for responsible design that can influence not only HMD’s own product line but also industry expectations around child-friendly, family-oriented mobile devices. This approach reflects a broader shift in the mobile tech landscape toward devices that harmonize personal freedom with digital responsibility, a balance that HMD believes is both necessary and achievable through thoughtful, inclusive design processes and continuous engagement with families.
The Better Phone Project, the Fusion X1 launch, and the path toward safer teenage digital habits
The Better Phone Project stands as a cornerstone initiative for HMD, reflecting a deliberate, collaborative effort to create a safer, more purpose-driven mobile experience for younger users. The project’s genesis lies in direct feedback from parents who requested safer, more controlled options for their children’s digital lives. This feedback-driven approach has guided HMD through multiple phases of research, co-creation, and testing, ensuring that product development consistently centers on digital wellbeing and parental oversight. The scope of the project spans 84 countries and nearly 40,000 families, underscoring the breadth and seriousness with which HMD treats the challenge of teen digital habits. The project’s outcomes are not simply theoretical; they translate into concrete product features, design principles, and go-to-market strategies that reflect a holistic understanding of how families interact with technology.
The launch strategy for the HMD Fusion X1 signals a concrete implementation of the Better Phone Project’s learnings. Set to debut in May, the Fusion X1 is designed to help teens cultivate healthier digital behaviors while enabling parents to maintain essential oversight. The device represents a careful curation of hardware and software attributes that support mindful usage. By integrating parental input into its core, HMD is aiming to deliver a balanced user experience that simultaneously respects adolescent autonomy and parental responsibility. The Fusion X1’s design philosophy reflects a broader trend in the industry toward devices that foster responsible digital engagement, particularly for younger audiences who are navigating the complexities of a connected world.
The Better Phone Project’s research has highlighted pressing concerns among parents regarding screen time, online safety, and the impact of smartphone usage on children’s mental health. The data gathered from families across diverse regions highlight common themes: the need for safer communication channels, protective controls, and simpler, more intuitive interfaces that reduce confusion and potential misuse. In response, HMD is prioritizing features that address these concerns directly. These include controlled screen time management, location tracking capabilities for family safety, and streamlined user experiences that are easier for younger users to navigate. The project’s findings also underscore the importance of parental involvement in the design process, reinforcing the belief that collaborative development with families yields devices better suited to real-world needs and reduces the risk of negative digital experiences.
The Fusion X1 is thus positioned as a practical extension of the Better Phone Project’s mission. It embodies a “first step” concept for the digital world, providing teens with a pathway to independence while ensuring that parents have the controls they require for ongoing oversight. This approach acknowledges that adolescence is a critical period for developing digital literacy and responsible habits, and it emphasizes that devices should support growth and learning rather than exacerbate risk. The Fusion X1’s feature set is constructed with this philosophy in mind: it promotes healthier usage patterns, reduces exposure to potentially harmful content, and simplifies the steps families must take to manage technology in daily life. Through these design choices, HMD aims to demonstrate that safer digital experiences can be achieved without sacrificing the essential benefits of modern mobile connectivity.
Parental input remains central to HMD’s design ethos for the Fusion X1. The company has consistently sought to translate the nuanced concerns of guardians into practical, measurable product attributes. This includes the integration of robust parental controls into the operating system, which gives caregivers a straightforward way to guide a teen’s digital journey. The emphasis is on empowering parents to set boundaries without creating a draconian or overly restrictive environment that could hinder healthy exploration. By combining clear controls with an emphasis on user-friendly experiences, HMD seeks to reduce friction for both parents and teens, thereby increasing the likelihood that healthier digital habits will take root and endure beyond initial adoption.
In sum, the Better Phone Project and the Fusion X1 launch reflect a deliberate strategy to address a critical social concern through thoughtful design and collaborative development. The project’s expansive reach demonstrates HMD’s commitment to understanding family dynamics in diverse contexts, while the Fusion X1 serves as a tangible manifestation of those insights. The combination of parental controls, age-appropriate interfaces, and a safety-forward feature set positions HMD as a leader in the space of child-friendly devices within the AMEA region and beyond. The ongoing dialog with families will continue to inform subsequent product iterations, reinforcing the idea that responsible mobile technology can be both empowering and protective for younger users.
Research-driven design: online safety, screen time, and mental wellbeing for children
HMD’s research into children’s online experiences underscores a growing concern among parents about the potential negative impacts of mobile technology on their children’s wellbeing. The company’s findings reveal that more than half of children aged eight to twelve have experienced some level of online contact from someone they do not know, a sobering statistic that speaks to the realities of online interaction in a connected world. The research also shows that one in three children have been asked to move conversations to private messaging apps, a trend that raises questions about privacy, safety, and appropriate boundaries. Alarmingly, nearly 40 percent of children have encountered harmful online content, including explicit material or violent content, highlighting the urgent need for protective features and educational guidance within devices. These findings collectively signal a critical need for more deliberate, family-centered design that can mitigate risk while promoting healthy digital behavior.
The research also highlights shifting parental concerns around screen time and the broader implications of smartphone use on children’s mental health. Parents are increasingly seeking tools that can help manage device use, reduce exposure to risky content, and foster positive habits. In response, HMD is prioritizing features that empower families to regulate digital experiences in practical, non-intrusive ways. The design philosophy now includes measures such as controlled screen time, location-based checks, and simplified user experiences tailored specifically to younger users. These components aim to create a safer, more predictable digital environment in which children can explore, learn, and grow under the guidance and oversight of guardians.
The Better Phone Project’s insights serve as a guiding framework that informs product development across the broader portfolio, not just within single devices. The principle is simple: embed digital wellbeing into software and hardware so that wellbeing is a standard, not an afterthought. This means features like Detox Mode, customizable parental controls, and time-management settings are considered essential elements of a responsible user experience. Detox Mode, in particular, reflects a growing commitment to helping users resist distractions and maintain focus during critical periods such as school hours or study times. By integrating these features into the device ecosystem, HMD aims to normalize mindful digital use as a baseline expectation for all users, especially younger ones who are navigating digital life with increasing autonomy.
HMD’s approach to research-driven design extends to how products evolve over time. The company recognizes that digital wellbeing is not a one-size-fits-all proposition; different families have varied needs, routines, and challenges. As a result, the design process emphasizes flexibility and adaptability. Customizable controls allow parents and users to tailor the experience to their specific circumstances, whether that means setting stricter limits during school days, enabling more permissive use during weekends, or creating safe zones for real-world activities outside the confines of device use. In addition, the research informs the creation of simpler interfaces tailored to younger users, reducing cognitive load and confusion that can often lead to misuse or disengagement.
The Better Phone Project’s collaboration with partners, including educational and sports organizations, is an example of how HMD translates research into practical applications. These partnerships help shape product features and usage scenarios that reflect real-world contexts. The objective is to ensure that digital wellbeing is integrated into daily life in meaningful ways, rather than being a theoretical ideal. The project’s emphasis on parental involvement ensures that families remain central to the decision-making process, reinforcing the idea that technology must serve as a facilitator of healthy development rather than a driver of risk. By grounding product development in rigorous research and active family participation, HMD seeks to deliver devices and experiences that genuinely support healthier digital habits, better online safety, and improved mental wellbeing for children and teenagers.
The insights gained through this research framework directly influence design choices across HMD’s product lineup. Across the portfolio, the company is prioritizing features such as Detox Mode, which helps users manage time spent on devices; customizable parental controls that can be adapted to the needs of different families; and time-management settings that encourage structured use and prevent overuse. This approach aligns with broader industry trends toward digital wellbeing and responsible technology usage, reflecting a shift away from feature proliferation toward purpose-driven design. By focusing on practical tools that facilitate healthier digital behavior, HMD aims to create devices that are not only technologically capable but also emotionally and socially responsible. The result is a product ecosystem that supports mindful, balanced use of mobile devices, contributing to healthier digital lifestyles for children and teenagers and providing parents with effective means of guidance and oversight.
Fusion X1, Xplora collaboration: safety features and parental controls embedded in the OS
The Fusion X1’s development includes a collaboration with Xplora, which brings a distinct approach to keeping children connected without introducing unnecessary distractions. This partnership enhances the Fusion X1’s safety profile and differentiates it in a crowded market by focusing on features that support safe, moderated digital participation for younger users. The collaboration is framed around a shared commitment to positive digital habits, with Xplora’s expertise in child-friendly wearable technology and safe communications complementing HMD’s user-centric design philosophy. This synergy enables a more comprehensive safety solution that addresses concerns around online safety, privacy, and age-appropriate usage patterns.
One of the central design elements of the Fusion X1 is the integration of parental controls directly into the operating system. This deep integration provides parents with a seamless, powerful way to guide their teen’s digital experience without requiring additional apps or convoluted settings. The OS-level controls are designed to be intuitive for both parents and teens, reducing the friction that often accompanies digital regulation. A key feature of this approach is the ability to determine when and how social media and browser access are permitted, allowing guardians to curate the teen’s online environment while preserving essential connectivity and learning opportunities.
Safe calls and messaging are engineered to ensure that communications remain within the boundaries set by parents. By default, only pre-approved contacts can reach the teen, which helps prevent unsolicited messages from unknown sources and reduces exposure to potential online risk. GPS tracking and safety zones are another core element, enabling parents to receive alerts when a teen leaves designated safe areas. This geofencing capability supports real-time situational awareness for families and reinforces the importance of location-based protections in the teen digital experience.
Stay Focused Mode is designed to optimize a teen’s availability during school hours and bedtime, minimizing distractions when it matters most. This feature supports a structured daily routine, helping to preserve study time, rest, and offline social interactions that contribute to healthier overall development. By balancing periods of connectivity with structured quiet times, Stay Focused Mode aligns with the broader Better Phone Project objectives of encouraging mindful digital practices without compromising essential communication capabilities.
The Xplora collaboration brings a distinctive dimension to Huawei’s HMD Fusion X1 by ensuring that the device supports a safer, more intentional digital environment for teenagers. The partnership reinforces the idea that safety and usability can coexist with independence, providing a practical framework for parents who seek a reliable means of guiding their children’s online activities. The result is a device that not only offers core communications and educational utilities but also embodies a holistic approach to digital wellbeing through thoughtful features and carefully tuned parental controls.
The fusion of HMD’s human-first design philosophy with Xplora’s safety-focused capabilities represents a forward-looking model for youth-oriented devices. It demonstrates how cross-industry collaboration can yield a more robust safety architecture that goes beyond conventional boundaries. The Fusion X1, with its integrated parental controls, safe-contact framework, GPS-driven safety zones, Stay Focused Mode, and collaboration-driven safety features, offers a safer pathway for teens to navigate the digital world. This approach aligns with the Better Phone Project’s mission to co-create with families and to deliver practical tools that support healthier digital habits, while ensuring teens retain the autonomy and learning opportunities that come with responsible device use. The Fusion X1 thus stands as a tangible embodiment of HMD’s human-first design ethos, enhanced through a strategic alliance that broadens its safety and usability capabilities for younger users.
Market insights in AMEA: feature phones’ enduring appeal, and the growth of the HMD 130 Music, 150 Music, and 2660 Flip
The AMEA market continues to demonstrate a sustainable appetite for feature phones, driven by a blend of reliability, affordability, and the appeal of a more focused digital experience. In an era of ever-accelerating smartphone proliferation, many consumers in the AMEA region still seek devices that offer durability, straightforward operation, long battery life, and dependable performance without the complexity that can accompany modern smartphones. This dynamic creates a favorable environment for HMD’s feature phone lineup, including models like the HMD 130 Music, the 150 Music, and the 2660 Flip. The observed trend is a combination of practical needs and evolving consumer preferences that value simplicity, resilience, and ease of use. These devices are designed to be reliable workhorses for daily communication, basic multimedia consumption, and essential productivity tasks, while avoiding the potential distractions associated with more advanced smartphone ecosystems.
HMD’s strategy in the feature phone segment is not only about preserving a niche but about delivering practical alternatives that meet diverse consumer requirements. The region’s consumer base includes individuals seeking a straightforward user experience, older users who appreciate the simplicity of a feature phone, and younger users who value a less overwhelming entry point into mobile technology. The continued expansion of the feature phone portfolio reflects HMD’s recognition of this demand and its commitment to addressing it with durable hardware, clear interfaces, and value-oriented pricing. The market’s appetite for reliability, longevity, and cost efficiency is a driver for ongoing design considerations, including battery longevity, ease of maintenance, and the ability to replace parts rather than replace entire devices.
The expansion of the HMD feature phone range is also tied to broader lifestyle preferences and usage patterns. Some consumers prioritize long battery life due to irregular charging opportunities or limited access to power infrastructure, while others want devices that resist wear and tear in demanding environments. In this context, the 130 Music, 150 Music, and 2660 Flip reflect a family of devices tailored to different use cases and aesthetic preferences—the music models emphasize multimedia capability; the flip design targets tactile, compact ergonomics and nostalgia; and all entries share a focus on robust performance, clear audio, and intuitive navigation. The design strategies underscore HMD’s attentiveness to regional realities and consumer expectations, reinforcing the company’s position as a principal actor in the AMEA feature phone segment.
The AMEA market’s shift toward digital wellness does not occur in isolation from the feature phone category. While smartphones dominate certain segments, feature phones serve a distinct and enduring role by offering more purposeful digital usage, less cognitive overload, and simpler management. The presence of features that support a healthier digital lifestyle, such as dedicated volume or call-management controls, ease of use, and a reduced focus on apps and online services, appeal to users who prioritize reliability and predictability. HMD’s approach to feature phones, therefore, recognizes that people require reliable devices that can perform essential functions without imposing the complexity or distractions associated with modern mobile ecosystems. The result is a balanced product strategy that respects consumer preferences for simplicity, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, while still offering modern touches and audio-centric experiences that align with current consumer expectations.
In addition to the core feature phone lineup, HMD’s product strategy acknowledges the importance of complementary accessories that enhance the overall user experience. The Amped Buds, for instance, represent an innovative accessory concept designed to integrate seamlessly with smartphones and feature phones in the AMEA region. The development of these wireless earbuds is anchored in a broader trend toward diversified, multi-function devices and accessories that provide additional value through battery life, convenience, and enhanced audio performance. The AMEA market’s appreciation for practical, well-made accessories resonates with HMD’s emphasis on longevity and user-centric design. By pairing high-quality audio hardware with complementary features and a thoughtful packaging approach, HMD aims to deliver a cohesive ecosystem that supports a balanced, mindful digital lifestyle across devices.
The Amped Buds: innovation in wireless audio and a charging case that doubles as a power bank
The Amped Buds exemplify HMD’s willingness to push beyond conventional boundaries in the realm of mobile accessories. The project drew inspiration from the growing demand for convenience and multi-functionality in tech gear, particularly in regions where consistent access to power can be a challenge. The wireless charging case that accompanies the Amped Buds doubles as a power bank for smartphones, delivering tangible value by ensuring users have a reliable source of power when traditional charging options are unavailable. This dual-purpose design aligns with the AMEA consumer’s emphasis on practicality, reliability, and real-world utility, providing a ready-made solution to stay connected and entertained even in situations where power is scarce.
Beyond the charging case, the Amped Buds themselves are engineered to deliver a compelling audio experience. The product line features a robust 1600 mAh battery in its case, an indicator of a broader approach to battery optimization that supports extended usage. The audio package includes premium wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC) and environmental noise cancellation (ENC), which are designed to reduce ambient distractions and improve call and music quality in various environments. The case is designed to be ultra-slim and sleek, with compatibility for wireless charging, reflecting a premium yet practical design philosophy. This combination of extended battery life, high-quality sound, and a portable, elegant form factor demonstrates HMD’s intent to deliver lifestyle-enhancing accessories that complement its primary device portfolio and support a healthier, more enjoyable user experience.
The Amped Buds’ innovative design is particularly well-suited to the AMEA region’s diverse contexts, including scenarios where power access is intermittent or where users require quick, reliable solutions for on-the-go connectivity and entertainment. The product’s emphasis on convenience and performance is in line with broader market expectations for smart accessories that add tangible value without creating complexity. Moreover, Amped Buds illustrate HMD’s broader commitment to integrating design innovation with practical needs, ensuring that accessories contribute to a more seamless and enjoyable mobile experience. By focusing on a battery-centric, wireless-charging approach coupled with high-fidelity audio and adaptive noise management, HMD is pursuing a compelling value proposition for users in AMEA and beyond. The Amped Buds thus stand as a tangible example of how HMD is expanding its ecosystem with intelligent, user-centered accessories that reinforce responsible device usage while enhancing everyday life.
Differentiation in the AMEA market: sustainability, repairability, and human-first design
The AMEA region presents a highly competitive mobile market landscape, with numerous vendors vying for consumer attention across both smartphone and feature phone segments. HMD differentiates itself through a deliberate focus on sustainability, repairability, and a human-first design philosophy. This combination creates a unique value proposition that resonates with a broad spectrum of customers who seek durable, reliably designed devices that support a balanced digital lifestyle. The company’s emphasis on modular designs, such as the HMD Fusion, enables users to personalize and extend the lifespan of their devices, a feature that is particularly appealing in regions where cost efficiency and long-term ownership are critical. By enabling easier upgrades and parts replacement, HMD reduces electronic waste and promotes a culture of repairable devices, aligning with global sustainability trends and regional consumer priorities.
HMD’s commitment to repairability is reflected in its Gen 2 repairability approach, which focuses on enabling users to replace key components such as batteries and screens. This strategy significantly extends device longevity and reduces environmental impact by decreasing the need for complete device replacement. In addition to repairability, HMD is actively working to minimize packaging waste and reduce carbon emissions across its supply chain. These sustainability initiatives are integrated into the product development lifecycle, from material selection to end-of-life recycling programs. The company’s approach to sustainability is not merely a corporate social responsibility initiative; it is a core strategic capability that informs design decisions, manufacturing choices, and partnerships across the AMEA region.
The HMD Fusion family embodies the human-first design principles that underpin the company’s broader mission. The Fusion devices are designed to be modular, allowing users to customize and upgrade aspects of the device over time, rather than discarding hardware when better specifications become available. This modularity supports a lifecycle approach to device ownership that is aligned with both environmental considerations and consumer demand for flexibility. The emphasis on modularity also supports a broader goal of enabling a repairable, upgradeable ecosystem across HMD’s product lines, reinforcing the company’s leadership position in sustainable hardware in the AMEA region. The combination of modular design, repairability, and a human-centered approach helps HMD differentiate itself from competitors who may prioritize more disposable or less adaptable devices.
In addition to environmental considerations, HMD’s differentiation strategy encompasses functional and experiential advantages. The company’s devices are engineered to be easy to use, with clear interfaces and intuitive controls that reduce cognitive load for users across age groups. This aligns with the human-first design ethos, ensuring that devices are accessible and comprehensible for a wide audience, including older users who may be less comfortable with complex software. The emphasis on user experience extends to the software layer as well, where parental controls, screen-time management, and safety features are designed to be straightforward and reliable. By combining sustainability, repairability, and user-centric design, HMD positions itself as a responsible, future-ready choice in a market characterized by rapid technological change and growing consumer emphasis on ethical and practical product attributes.
Market trends and consumer preferences shaping HMD’s AMEA strategy
Industry observations across AMEA indicate a growing appetite for digital wellbeing, modularity, and sustainability. Consumers are increasingly seeking devices that reflect their values, offering opportunities for customization, easy repair, and responsible use. This shift is consistent with a broader move in consumer tech toward products that empower mindful engagement with digital media rather than enabling unrestrained use. HMD’s strategic response is to center product development around these evolving preferences, ensuring that devices—whether smartphones or feature phones—deliver meaningful value without compromising health, privacy, or environmental considerations.
The rise of mobile gaming and content creation in AMEA is also shaping product design and go-to-market plans. Demand for devices that can support higher performance photography, video recording, and more capable accessories is growing, while affordability remains crucial. HMD’s modular device ecosystem aims to meet these demands by providing devices that can be upgraded or repaired without requiring a full replacement. This approach helps address price sensitivity in the market and supports a broader audience with access to reliable, modern technology. The company’s focus on digital wellbeing complements these trends, positioning HMD to offer devices that enable balanced usage and reduce the risk of overexposure to digital content.
From a consumer behavior perspective, there is a clear preference for devices that combine practicality with a sense of value and responsibility. People want products that deliver essential functionality with simplicity, while also offering features that support safe and mindful digital habits. HMD’s emphasis on parental controls, screen-time management, and safe communication aligns with these expectations, enabling families to manage technology with confidence. Additionally, the AMEA market values durability, battery life, and ease of maintenance—qualities that feature phones and rugged hardware often deliver. By focusing on such attributes, HMD ensures its portfolios remain relevant and attractive to a broad audience.
The competitive landscape in AMEA reinforces the need for a distinctive, customer-centric strategy. HMD differentiates itself from other players by showcasing a clear commitment to human-centered design, sustainability, and repairability. This combination provides a defensible position in a market where many players race toward the latest specs or aggressive price cuts without necessarily addressing long-term user wellbeing or environmental impact. By integrating wellbeing and sustainability into core business operations, HMD not only meets current consumer needs but also anticipates future expectations and regulatory considerations around responsible product design.
Furthermore, the AMEA region’s diverse cultural and regulatory environments require a nuanced approach to product development and market entry. HMD’s experience in the region—built on years of local market engagement and a robust partner network—helps ensure that product messaging and features resonate with local consumers. This includes tailoring safety features and parental controls to regional norms and expectations while maintaining a consistent global standard for human-first design. The objective is to balance global best practices with local relevance, enabling HMD to deliver devices that meet universal values around digital wellbeing while respecting regional differences in usage patterns and consumer priorities.
Sustainability in product development and in the AMEA operating model
Sustainability is not an afterthought at HMD; it is embedded in the company’s mission and operational practices. The organization is pursuing eco-friendly materials, waste reduction, and responsible recycling initiatives across its product life cycle. A significant element of this strategy is the Gen 2 repairability framework, which enables users to replace or upgrade critical components such as batteries and screens. This approach extends device longevity, reduces environmental impact, and aligns with the company’s broader commitment to minimizing e-waste. By prioritizing repairability, HMD seeks to empower consumers to maintain and upgrade devices rather than dispose of them prematurely, thereby supporting a more circular economy.
Packaging optimization and supply chain emissions reductions are additional facets of HMD’s sustainability program. The company is actively seeking ways to minimize packaging materials and curtail overall carbon emissions across its suppliers and manufacturing partners. These efforts reflect a holistic view of sustainability that extends beyond the device itself to encompass the broader ecosystem in which products are designed, produced, distributed, and end-of-life managed. By integrating sustainability into the core strategic framework, HMD demonstrates leadership in responsible hardware development within the AMEA market and beyond.
In practice, sustainability also intersects with HMD’s product design choices, particularly in the Fusion family’s modular architecture. The ability to replace components, upgrade modules, and extend device lifecycles reduces the need for frequent device turnover and aligns with a consumer base that increasingly recognizes the value of durable, repairable devices. This approach not only supports environmental goals but also contributes to affordability and long-term ownership satisfaction. The combination of repairability, modularity, and sustainable packaging creates a compelling value proposition for AMEA consumers who are seeking durable, responsible devices without compromising on performance or usability.
Sustainability-related goals are complemented by ongoing investments in energy efficiency, material reductions, and design for disassembly. HMD’s commitments extend to both hardware and software, with a focus on minimizing energy consumption in device operation, reducing waste from production, and encouraging responsible recycling at consumer end-of-life. The company’s sustainability narrative is thus tightly interwoven with its human-first design principles. By articulating and delivering on these commitments, HMD reinforces its brand as a forward-looking, responsible player in the AMEA market that values both user wellbeing and environmental stewardship.
Strategic priorities and growth outlook for HMD in AMEA
HMD’s key priorities in AMEA center on expanding its modular device ecosystem, deepening sustainability initiatives, and strengthening collaborations with industry partners. The company envisions continued growth across both smartphone and feature phone segments, driven by a focus on digital wellbeing, affordability, and repairability. The modular approach enables customers to tailor devices to their evolving needs, thereby extending the useful life of hardware and reducing total cost of ownership. In parallel, sustainability remains a central pillar of the company’s strategy, with ongoing work to optimize materials, packaging, and supply chain practices to minimize environmental impact while maintaining high quality and reliability.
The AMEA market is expected to respond positively to HMD’s emphasis on human-first design and digital wellbeing. By centering customer needs and family wellbeing in its product strategy, HMD aims to cultivate trust and long-term relationships with consumers who value responsible technology. The company’s expectations for market growth reflect the favorable competitive dynamics and continued demand for accessible devices that balance performance, price, and user safety. The strategy also envisions stronger collaborations with regional and global partners to co-create solutions that address shared challenges in digital health, safety, and environmental sustainability. These partnerships can drive product innovation, expand distribution, and accelerate adoption of HMD’s family-oriented devices among a broader audience across AMEA.
HMD’s market position in AMEA is anchored by its established presence and deep understanding of regional nuances. The company’s success in the region is underpinned by a track record of delivering reliable devices that meet local needs, a robust repair ecosystem, and a reputation for customer-centric design. This combination provides a strong foundation for continued growth as the company scales its modular ecosystem and expands its offerings beyond core devices into complementary products and services designed to reinforce healthy digital habits. The emphasis on affordability, reliability, and sustainable practices aligns with broader regional priorities and consumer expectations, positioning HMD to capitalize on evolving trends over the coming years.
As digital wellbeing becomes increasingly central to consumer decision-making, HMD expects its holistic approach to design—integrating human-centric features, parental controls, and eco-conscious operations—to resonate with a broad audience in AMEA. The company anticipates continued demand for devices that support mindful usage, safe connectivity, and age-appropriate experiences for younger users. By maintaining a focus on repairability and modularity, HMD aims to offer a durable, cost-effective, and adaptable product lineup that can accommodate changing preferences and technologies. The strategic outlook thus centers on sustainable growth, expanded partnerships, and ongoing investment in features that promote healthier digital engagement while meeting practical needs for everyday connectivity.
##Conclusion
In summary, HMD’s introduction of the HMD Family division marks a deliberate shift toward a human-first design paradigm that places digital wellbeing, parental involvement, and sustainable practices at the core of product development. The Better Phone Project’s expansive research and community engagement underpin a practical, family-centric approach to safer teenager use, as demonstrated by the Fusion X1’s release strategy and its collaboration with Xplora to deliver robust safety features. The company’s AMEA focus emphasizes not only the growth of feature phones in the region but also the introduction of innovative accessories like Amped Buds that extend value and usability while supporting mindful digital habits. Sustainability and repairability are woven into the fabric of HMD’s strategy, enabling a durable, modular ecosystem that aligns with regional needs and global environmental imperatives. Looking ahead, HMD’s priorities—expanding a modular device ecosystem, deepening sustainability initiatives, and leveraging strategic partnerships—position the company to continue delivering devices and experiences that are both customer-centric and future-ready in the AMEA mobile market. The journey toward a more mindful, responsible mobile future, anchored in human-first design and collaborative development with families, remains at the heart of HMD’s vision for AMEA and beyond.