HMD Global, the company that brought back the Nokia brand for smartphones, has unveiled its most premium phone yet – the HMD Skyline. This phone breaks the mold in two key ways: boasting impressive specifications reminiscent of a flagship device, and prioritizing user-friendly repairability, a feature often neglected in today’s market.
A Design Throwback with Modern Touches
The HMD Skyline evokes a sense of nostalgia for longtime Nokia fans. Its design draws inspiration from the iconic Nokia N9, a phone revered for its sleek, curved polycarbonate body. While the Skyline retains the overall elegance of the N9, it incorporates modern materials like glass and metal for a more premium feel. The phone features a large, 6.5-inch OLED display with a Full HD+ resolution. This display delivers vibrant colors and deep blacks, perfect for watching videos or playing games.
The smooth user experience is further enhanced by a refresh rate of up to 144Hz. This high refresh rate ensures that scrolling and animations are incredibly smooth, making the phone feel incredibly responsive. A discreet 50-megapixel front-facing camera with autofocus sits within a punch-hole cutout, ensuring high-quality selfies and video calls without sacrificing valuable screen real estate.
Power Under the Hood
The HMD Skyline packs a punch when it comes to performance. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset, a capable processor that can handle even demanding tasks with ease. Users can choose from configurations with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and app performance. Storage options include 128GB or 256GB, with the added flexibility of a microSD card slot that can provide an additional 512GB of storage for those who require a massive amount of space for photos, videos, and apps.
A Camera System to Capture Life’s Moments
The HMD Skyline boasts a triple-camera system on the back, catering to the needs of mobile photography enthusiasts. The main camera is a high-resolution 108-megapixel sensor with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) to minimize blur caused by camera shake. This ensures sharp and detailed photos, even in low-light conditions.
The rear camera setup also includes a 13-megapixel ultrawide sensor, perfect for capturing expansive landscapes or group photos in tight spaces. Completing the trio is a 50-megapixel 2x telephoto lens, offering up to 4x zoom for capturing distant subjects without sacrificing image quality. HMD has integrated AI Capture Fusion technology into the camera system. This technology utilizes artificial intelligence to enhance photo details and improve overall image quality, making the Skyline a powerful tool for capturing life’s moments in stunning detail.
User-Friendly Repairability
One of the most distinctive features of the HMD Skyline is its emphasis on user-friendly repairability. Unlike many modern smartphones that are designed to be difficult to disassemble and repair, the Skyline prioritizes user empowerment. The back cover of the phone can be removed by simply unscrewing a single Torx screw. This allows users to quickly and easily replace a cracked screen, a damaged charging port, or a depleted battery.
HMD has partnered with iFixit, a company known for its repair guides and parts, to provide the necessary tools and resources for users to perform these repairs themselves. iFixit will also sell replacement parts for the Skyline at reasonable prices: a display costs $95, the battery cover is $30, the battery itself is $25, and the charging port is $20. The initial purchase should include a fix kit from iFixit, which costs an additional $5.
This focus on repairability is a welcome change for consumers who are tired of being forced to replace their entire phone due to a minor malfunction. The ability to easily and affordably repair the Skyline extends its lifespan and reduces electronic waste, making it a more environmentally friendly choice.
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Additional Features and Software
The HMD Skyline comes equipped with a 4,600 mAh battery that should provide a full day’s worth of power for most users. The phone supports 33W wired charging, allowing for quick top-ups when needed. It also supports 15W magnetic Qi2 wireless charging for added convenience.
The Skyline runs Android 14 out of the box, which ensures access to the latest features and security updates. HMD has committed to providing two OS updates and three years of security patches, keeping the phone secure and up-to-date for years to come.
An interesting feature is the phone’s Detox Mode. This mode helps users manage their digital well-being by limiting notifications and access to social media apps.
This function can be helpful for those who find themselves constantly checking their phones and can benefit from taking digital detox breaks. The Skyline also features a customizable button on the side of the device. This button can be programmed to quickly access frequently used apps or features, further enhancing the user experience.
Pricing and Availability
The HMD Skyline is available for a starting price of €499 ($499/£399). It’s important to note that a power adapter is not included in the box. HMD offers a 33W wall charger for £30 or a 30W dual-port adapter for £20 on its website.
Despite the lack of an included charger, the phone’s repairability helps offset this initial cost. Users who are comfortable with repairs can potentially save money in the long run by fixing minor issues themselves instead of having to pay for professional repairs or phone replacements.
Read also: HMD Global Announces New Nokia Feature Phones with 4G Connectivity
A Phone Designed for the Future
The HMD Skyline represents a unique proposition in the smartphone market. It blends high-end specifications with a design that evokes nostalgia for a bygone era. More importantly, the phone prioritizes user empowerment through its focus on repairability. This focus on repairability makes the Skyline a more sustainable choice and sets a new standard for user-centric design in the smartphone industry. Whether you’re a power user seeking a capable device or someone who appreciates the ease of repair, the HMD Skyline offers a compelling combination of features and functionality.
