Manufacturer Nokia wants to create the best mobile phone for children: this is its plan

It would be foolish to deny the many benefits that technological tools offer, even for the little ones. However, various studies have linked screen use to problems such as attention deficit, learning difficulties and even personality changes such as irritability. In this context, uncertainty takes over parents. For starters, adults ask themselves from what age is a mobile phone suitable for children. Also, when they become users: how to monitor activity and usage hours on these devices?

Google recently announced new parental control solutions for Android. This includes the launch of School Time, a feature specifically designed to set limits on mobile phone use during the school day. There are more exciting initiatives on the horizon. One of them is set in motion a manufacturer licensed to sell phones under the Nokia brand..

The company in question is HMD, headquartered in Finland and best known for buying Nokia’s license in 2014 when the brand’s mobile phones were owned by Microsoft. Now they’re pushing The Better Phone Project Campaignwhose goal is to develop digital tools and a mobile phone for children. Singularity? They invite both children and parents to find out their opinions and preferences..

HMD wants to create a mobile phone for children that respects well-being and mental health

“The goal is to work together to help people feel better and create opportunities to find balance in mobile phone usage“, – HMD notes. The manufacturer strives for a joint creative process. In addition to consultations with experts and organizations, they opened a teleconference during which they will listen to the participants’ options without mediation. Young users and parents.

“The plan is to create a mobile phone for children and other new solutions that will be an alternative to smartphones. This will give parents and their children more options and control over the time spent in front of the screen. Also regulate the time spent on social networks,” the Finnish company notes.

According to HMD representatives, The phone resulting from this project will be released in about a year.. It is not yet known at this stage whether it will be released under the Nokia brand. “We recognize the importance of empowering people to make informed decisions while navigating today’s complex technology landscape,” say the proponents of the move.

How to take part in the “Best Phone” project?

As detailed in HMD HypertextThose interested in creating a mobile phone for children, among other solutions for achieving balanced screen use, can register on the official website of The Better Phone Project. How will they participate in practice? There will be virtual meetings in which experts will participate and exchange advice. Over there, Participants will also share their ideas“The goal is to create change and new solutions together,” they emphasize.

It’s worth noting that the initiative doesn’t end with designing and developing a mobile device for children. They also point to other solutions – apparently screen management software – that they say aim to “give choice back to parents, give control back to them and help young people feel better (…) with options that suit their needs digital wellbeing“.

Some information to keep in mind if you are interested in attending. The meetings will be held online, with no geographic restrictions. Before the sessions, registrants will be able to take surveys that are also relevant to the project. Coordinates for the schedule: The meetings will be held in September-November this year..

Anxiety and the Personality Impact of Mobile Phone Use Among Children

As we mentioned earlier, those involved in this initiative will not only voice their opinions in a series of virtual meetings. They will also participate in surveys, the results of which will be important for the guidelines the manufacturer will follow in development. HMD also conducted a survey earlier, the findings of which are worth noting. The statistics below are based on consultations with more than 10,000 parents in Germany, Great Britain, Australia, USA and India.

More than half of adults admitted that they wished they had waited longer before giving their children a mobile phone. 65% admitted Concerns about how screen use is affecting children’s mental health. In addition, almost 50% indicated that the devices changed the personality of the children in the family. And two out of three parents noted that due to the lack of solutions, they had to come up with them themselves.

HMD adds that information provided by consultancy GWI is also relevant. On the one hand, 29% of users aged 16 to 24 admit that using a mobile phone makes them feel more anxious. Moreover, almost four in ten representatives of this age group admitted to spending too much time on social media.

5 Keys to Understanding the Impact of Mobile Phones on Children

We talked about this at the beginning of the review. It is obvious that digital tools served on a tray numerous benefits, including for the little ones. At the same time, various studies and reports have shed light on the negative impact of screens, especially among children.

• The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises paper that children under two years old have no contact with technology. And children from 3 to 5 years old should do this only one hour a day. After six years they recommend a maximum of two hours.
• Experts from Healthy Children, which is dependent on the AAP, noted that Buying your child’s first mobile phone is a decision that needs to be made consciously.“Kids can take them anywhere. They’re more likely to be near your child, on their nightstand, during mealtimes, in the car during commutes, or in many other places where other devices aren’t typically available. So they can interrupt or crowd out other important activities. Face-to-face conversations, homework, sports, or sleep are just a few,” they note.
• Canadian Paediatric Society study early use of mobile phones linked to attention deficit and learning problems. In addition, I associate this habit with increased impulsivity and lack of self-regulation. Added to this were problems with falling asleep and even aggression.
• in his book Anxious generationIn a paper published this year, psychologist Jonathan Heyd warns of rising rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and even suicide among teenagers from 2010 to the present day. Is this related to the increase in the use of devices and social media? “Let’s not give them a smartphone as their first phone. We can give them a children’s mobile phone designed for communication, not for apps,” the specialist advised.
• “Walking down the street, parents teach their children from an early age what to pay attention to and what the risks are. The same should happen when traveling through the virtual world,” he commented in a dialogue with Hypertext psychologist Laura Jurkowski, director of reConectarse, a center that treats technology addictions. In this regard, he pointed to three examples and a gradual progression. Initially, children should navigate and use applications with the accompaniment of their parents. Then do so under supervision and control. Independence in use, not absolute, should only arise when they are aware of the risks and best practices for mitigating them.

Outside hardware: possible solutions are also intangible

As we have seen, the Better Phone Project campaign focuses on developing a mobile phone for children that addresses the problems associated with the connection between young people and technology. It is also interesting to note that The possible solutions are not limited hardwareIn fact, parental control systems are known that essentially allow adults to control the activities on these computers, even remotely.

Google also recently announced the rollout of new tools to help families, including School time. What is it for? It allows parents to make decisions on their children’s mobile phones. Namely, that they use only certain applications (and not others) while they are at school. To do this, a special screen is created with the allowed options. Additionally, certain contacts can be selected so that they can receive and make calls. In short, the goal is to avoid distractions during school.

In line with HMD’s initiative, Google Asked Parents for Advice to Create School Time. As indicated in the statement by the US firm, the feature was introduced this year in the Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch. It is expected to appear on more devices in 2025, including Android phones, tablets and some Samsung Galaxy watches.