Hopefully, a comparison of the HMD Fusion X1 with the Xplora app would be published, for example, to the regular Fusion with Google Family Link. The Fusion X1 with Xplora’s guardian app has been marketed as not having pre-installed programs, but rather that the activation of all of them can be monitored through the guardian app. Contacts (calls and SMS) are also managed with the guardian app. I personally don’t really know Family Link, but I’ve understood that children learn to bypass it.
From Xplora’s business perspective, the risk in this HMD offshoot is minimal. The main focus is on the continuous revenue stream from smartwatch phones and the continuous revenue stream from Xplora subscriptions for Doro’s senior phones.
I just bought my daughter an Xplora X6 Play, which her siblings already have good experience with. From the perspective of my personal finances, I was disappointed, and as an investor, I purred with satisfaction when I failed to circumvent Xplora’s service fees with a 5-euro Telia prepaid card. With that subscription, adding the watch would have required paying a 9€ monthly fee to Xplora. I ultimately ended up pouring my money into Xplora’s coffers and took their own subscription for 9€/month with a 12-month upfront payment.