The HMD Skyline is official, bringing classic Nokia design back in a modern Android handset.
The mid-range will be available in pink and black, priced from £399 in the UK.
Human Mobile Devices, or HMD as it's more popularly known, has reintroduced a classic Nokia design with its latest Android phone, but under its own branding.
The HMD Skyline owes much to the "Fabula" design of the much-loved Nokia Lumia 920 – a Windows Phone handset released more than a decade ago. It has a similar chassis and comes in a bold Neon Pink colourway (as well as black).
However, although it is custodian of the Nokia mobile brand, HMD has decided not to reintroduce the Lumia moniker – even though the Skyline also shares a specific trait.
As well as a sharp aesthetic, Lumia phones were renowned for their cameras and the HMD Skyline takes that area seriously too. The mid-range device features a 108-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilisation, alongside a 50-megapixel telephoto and 13-megapixel ultrawide lens. There's another 50-megapixel snapper on the front for selfies and video capture.
The main camera also sports 4x zoom and a range of software-driven features, including Capture Fusion and a Portrait Mode. The front cam also has eye tracking for better self-shot pics.
Another main feature of the HMD Skyline is its repairability. The case isn't just for show, it is designed to be dismantled rapidly and allow access to all of the important hardware inside.
These can then be replaced manually and cheaply. You can replace the battery, for example, for less than £20 and it takes 8-9 minutes (as shown to T3 in a demo).
Even the display can be swapped out and replaced – for under £90.
That's a pretty big deal for sustainbility these days – ensuring your phone lasts longer and keeping it out of landfill.
Another hot topic at the moment is digital detoxing. HMD has recently made strides in releasing feature phones that help you stay away from social media and the like, in order to give yourself a break. The Boring Phone it made in collaboration with Heineken is a prime example.
The HMD Skyline has this feature built in too – you can switch the handset into a Detox Mode to block out the digital world for a while. This can be done manually (ie. on and off) or you can set it to do so at times in the day, with no cut off so you're forced to take a step back for a bit.
In terms of specifications, the Skyline is more advanced that the brand's cheaper phone range – the HMD Pulse family.
It runs on a Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset and either 8GB or 12GB of RAM depending on the model. There's up to 256GB of storage and the display is pOLED with a 144Hz refresh rate. It also supports HDR10.
The battery has up to 48-hours charge, claims the manufacturer, and works with any Qi2 wireless charger.
Pricing in the UK is set at £399 for the 8/128GB model, while a version with 12/256GB will set you back £499.
