HMD Designed the XploraOne mini Smartphone for Pocket Adventures, But Without Social Media

Kids today are bombarded with devices clamoring for their attention, but the XploraOne mini makes a simple promise: stay connected without wasting the day. HMD Global collaborated with Finnish tech firm Xplora Technologies to develop this small device that acts as a gateway into mobile life for children. It allows kids to avoid the unending social media, giving them only the basics to call home or take a brief photo of something fascinating they discovered on the playground. Meanwhile, parents gain control over who can contact their child and when, as well as the ability to monitor all of the small moments that are filmed. Among all the devices vying for our attention, the XploraOne tiny simply hints that less is sometimes enough.

With HMD’s no-nonsense Nokia phone pedigree and Xplora’s track record with kid-friendly watches, the outcome feels like a natural development. Parents frequently struggle with the decision of whether to give their children their first phone, which could lead to new experiences, or to deny them proper recreation. A recent poll of over 1000 parents in five different nations found that almost half are reconsidering the rush to give their children full smartphones, citing issues with sleep, dinnertime chats, and hours spent outside. The XploraOne mini addresses these issues by eliminating any frills. There’s no TikTok or Instagram, just the essentials: calls, texts, and a camera for those everyday little wins.

At 100 grams, it’s so light that you won’t even notice it’s in your backpack or pocket. Its modest size of 10.2 by 6.2 by 1.09 cm makes it ideal for small hands. The 3.2-inch touchscreen is excellent enough for a quick glance but not so sharp that you want to stare at it for hours. It comes in soft blue or grey and has a rubberised back that provides a strong grip even when dropped or poured on. Inside, a Unisoc T127 processor discreetly handles the essentials, while 4G ensures a robust signal in the park or at school. The 1,950mAh battery will get you through a full day of spot checks, and recharges via USB-C in about two hours.

Calls are routed clear to a select trusted numbers that parents may add on the fly using the companion app, and the app is always tracking every call and photo. Texts are exclusively sent to contacts you’ve granted permission to, so no group chats can get out of control. With the back camera and LED flash combo, you can take fuzzy 2-megapixel images of scraped knees, leaf heaps, and other things, and parents can see all of the photos as they happen. And just like that, a calendar with school reminders appears, which the child may view but not change. Even the 3.5mm headphone jack waits for music from a paired device, keeping things simple by just allowing approved tracks. Every component is about striking the right balance: allowing your child to explore but yet keeping a close check on them.

Durability is determined by the minute details, such as the splash-resistant seal, which ensures that rain or juice spills do not damage the phone. Xplora’s design incorporates all of the lessons learned from their watches, which can withstand some extremely hard sports and climbs, and scales them up to a phone that will promote the same type of adventurous spirit. Parents can quickly authorize new contacts, block any strange phone numbers, and even arrange quiet hours to provide some tranquility in the evenings. Sten Kirkbak, Xplora’s CEO, sees this as merely the next step in their lineup, a bridge from wrist-worn monitors to a phone that prioritizes safety. The UI is still as simple as it can be, with large icons for little hands and no rabbit hole for toddlers to get lost in.

The XploraOne mini, priced at 179 euros, will be available in Europe this winter, with a wider distribution planned for later. Xplora also offers packages to go with their watches, allowing families to develop a kit over time, beginning with toddler steps and progressing to greater freedom as kids grow older. HMD intends to do more in this vein, integrating their easily repairable hardware with control systems that change as children develop. For now, the mini is a subtle reminder that a phone may connect without taking over your life.
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