Nothing has teamed up with Mumsnet, the UK’s largest online parent community, to release a safety-focused smartphone for teenagers called the Other Phone. Built on the hardware of the CMF Phone 2 Pro, the device is preloaded with a custom software layer called SafetyMode Plus — designed to filter harmful online content and give parents remote control over app usage.
The Other Phone enters a growing market for youth-oriented smartphones that prioritize online safety over social media access. Its SafetyMode Plus system actively blocks inappropriate language, nudity, and other flagged material in real time, using AI to scan what appears on screen. Parents can manage app permissions, set screen time limits, and restrict internet access. When the child is older, these restrictions can be lifted, reverting the phone to Nothing’s standard operating system. Mumsnet describes it as a device that can “grow up with your child,” offering flexibility that permanent parental-control phones typically lack.
Technically, the Other Phone mirrors the specifications of the CMF Phone 2 Pro, including a 6.77-inch AMOLED display, MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro 5G processor, 8GB of RAM, a 5,000mAh battery, and a four-camera array. The £279 upfront cost, plus a £5.99 monthly subscription for SafetyMode Plus, makes it considerably cheaper than HMD’s Fuse, a rival kid-safe smartphone that also uses AI-driven content filtering.
While the partnership between a tech brand and a parenting platform may seem unusual, it reflects the growing anxiety among parents about digital exposure. A Mumsnet survey found that 77% of parents struggle to keep their children safe online, while research from HMD showed that over half of teens feel worried about potential phone addiction or exposure to harmful content.
The Other Phone’s biggest challenge will likely be adoption. Convincing teenagers to trade their iPhones or Samsung models for a safety-first handset won’t be easy, even if the design closely resembles Nothing’s minimalist aesthetic. Still, its combination of familiar hardware and adjustable restrictions may appeal to families looking for a balanced step between a basic phone and a full-fledged smartphone.
Availability remains limited to the UK, with no word yet on expansion to other markets. The launch marks an interesting shift for Nothing — a brand often associated with design-conscious tech — toward a space where functionality, parental oversight, and mental wellbeing take precedence over flashy specs.
