Disruption! It’s everywhere. Sometimes disruption is positive, forcing a necessary change in an otherwise stale or undesirable status quo, while sometimes disruption is a force for uncomfortable unrest. In either case, disruption is born out of dissatisfaction.
HMD is a company not so much born from dissatisfaction, but more a phoenix that rose from the ashes of Nokia, with a self-given mandate to seize the smartphone market by the lapels and give it a damn good shaking by creating smartphones that are affordable, well-built, fully featured, and in the case of this, the sexy new Skyline, fixable by your own fair hand.
Yep, that’s right, while perhaps not the first phone to dabble in the self-fix domain, with the likes of the Fairphone (now on model 5), the Nokia G22, and the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel Pro 8 all offering varying degrees of self-repairiness (not a word), the shiny new Skyline takes the fixing flexibility to the next level, allowing even those with the most ham-fisted collection of butterfingers to replace broken screens and burnt-out batteries in a mere matter of minutes. This grants far greater longevity and thereby increases value for money exponentially. It also ticks those all-important sustainability (cardboard) boxes too, keeping it from ending up in landfills for much longer than other mobiles.
Specs
- Processor: Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
- Display: 6.55-inches, FHD+ (1080 x 2400)
- OS: Android 14
- Max network speed: 5G
- Storage: 128GB/256GB (up to 512GB with MicroSD)
- RAM: 12GB/8GB
- Front camera: 50MP
- Rear camera: 108MP, 13MP Ultrawide, 50MP Tele
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, USB Type-C, analogue audio output, Wi-Fi
- Sensors: Accelerometer (G-sensor), Ambient light sensor, Barometer, e-Compass, Proximity sensor
- Security: Fingerprint sensor
- Battery: 4600mAh replaceable
- Battery life: Up to 48 hours
- IP rating: IP54
- Price: 8GB/128GB: £400; 12GB/256GB: £500
Processor
But before we get into the case-popping nitty-gritty of fixing faults, let’s take a look at what else lies beneath the sleek and solid, 100 per cent recycled aluminium, Neon Pink or Twisted Black body, because the Skyline is no ‘green’ gimmick.
Indeed, not being ones to mess around, at the heart of this latest HMD sits a decidedly snappy 8-core Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 consisting of 4x Cortex-A78 cores at 2400MHz and 4x Cortex-A55 at 1950MHz, making the HMD Skyline as nippy as the Nissan Skyline itself, which, for our younger readers, was easily the most-lusted after supercar of choice for petrolheads back in the early 2000s, so the famous name so synonymous with speed is in excellent hands. Along with this potently powerful processor comes either 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage, or 16GB and 256GB, depending on whether you want to spend £400 or £500, respectively, either way, that gives ample expanse for stashing whatever you choose to store on board.
Such as images, for an excellent example, as the Skyline not only features a 50MP front camera with Autofocus and Eye-tracking, but also an absolutely almighty 108MP rear camera, joined by a 13MP ultrawide AND a 50MP tele, so images will be nothing less than epic, particularly when you factor in the phone’s pro-style Capture Fusion function that merges frames from the ultrawide and telephoto cameras with the main camera, automatic Night Mode and, Optical Image Stabilisation.
Features
Running on the latest Android 14 iteration, with two free OS upgrades in the bag as and when required, a fingerprint sensor, pin and, if desired, facial recognition sorts security, keeping prying eyes out of your personal business.
Pal-ing up with all your peripherals, such as headphones and portable speakers, etc., over Wi-Fi and strong Bluetooth 5.2, for those who favour their audio wired, there’s a USB Type-C port you can run an audio converter cable from, or for those who ‘heart’ high-end audio, perhaps even a portable DAC to do the digital converting business betwixt Skyline and headphones for sound from a smartphone that’s actually not just ‘acceptable’ on the ear, but actually verging on the immersive.
Also all present and correct are the usual smart sensor suspects of G-sensor, barometer, e-compass, ambient light sensor, and proximity sensor, plus GPS/A-GPS, Galileo L1/L5 dual-band, GLONASS, and BDS location tech to ensure pinpoint precision wherever you may wander.
So that’s all the smarts accounted for, all wrapped up in a body that’s slim and solid, tasteful and tactile, and feels distinctly premium in the palm, while a stunning 6.55-inch FHD+ pOLED touchscreen display ensures images are sharp enough to almost take your eye out. Bright enough at 1000-nits peak to be enjoyed in all conditions, the display’s 144Hz refresh rate seeing video and games run smoothly.
All of which sounds smashing. But then, what of ‘smashing’? Given this generation’s propensity not to protect their phones in leather cases that open like small books, what happens when smashing occurs due to unfactored contact with the ground? Well, you already know the answer to that, but let’s get back to that nitty gritty I teased earlier…
USP
Even if you’ve paid only the absolute scantest of attention to this review so far, there is no feasible way you’ll be unaware of the HMD Skyline’s ability to be home-fixed. Yes, by simply arming yourself with a precision bit set, such as the ‘Minnow’ from iFixit (as supplied with the review model), problems with smartphones that were expensive in the not-so-distant past, not to mention wildly inconvenient, are rendered a nightmarish thing of the past with the Skyline.
Let’s look at some accident facts, or ‘factcidents’ as I’m now rebranding them. A recent survey conducted by Secure Data Recovery UK (published June 20th, 2024), showed that:
- The average Brit has spent about £371 on phone replacements and repairs.
- Overall, 1 in 6 Brits currently have a cracked phone screen.
- Nearly 2 in 5 UK residents would be without a phone for a week or longer if theirs broke.
- A cracked screen, debris stuck in charging or headphone jacks, and spilt drinks are the most common mishaps.
- Nearly 1 in 10 Brits drop their phone at least once a day.
- 47 per cent of people have thrown their phones by accident.
So, what we can take from all this is that most UK residents are ridiculously clumsy and that a lot of time and money can be saved by ‘doing it yourself’, which is why the HMD Skyline is a game-changer for those buttery of finger Brits of which there appear to be so many.
Screen scratched, nicked, knackered? Then simply order a replacement, await delivery, then follow the incredibly simple, step-by-step instructions available online. You can buy replacements for the screen (£94.99 part only), battery (£24.99 part only), charge port (£19.99 part only) and back cover (£29.99 part only), should you be completely careless when it comes to using your USB and habitually carry your Skyline in a pocket alongside a cluster of keys and loose coins.
How does it work?
To access the inner workings, you use the iFixit T3 Torx screwdriver to turn the internal camshaft that pops the back of the case open, then employ an opening pick (like a plectrum) to release the clips and slice through the glue holding the whole shebang together, then you’re in. From this point on, it’s time to adhere to the guide.
Right, full disclosure, did I break the end of the T3 tool off in the camshaft screwhead due to over-applied pressure on my first attempt? Yes, yes, I did. After a much gentler approach was adopted, changing the back cover proved simplicity itself – pop open, replace, clip back – easy. Changing the screen, however, requires more effort and, dare I say, a certain amount of self-belief, but patience – and that new gentle approach – paid off. But then comes the battery; changing the battery is considerably fiddlier, especially for those with fuller-figured fingers, but sticking vehemently and unwaveringly to the 21 online steps it takes to go from ‘phone with broken battery’ to ‘phone with brand new battery’ will see success without too much swearing.
The DIY doesn’t end there either; for those up for the challenge, you can also replace the whole charging board, the loudspeaker, the SIM card tray and, well, pretty much any other part no longer performing. All for a fraction of the cost and all without having to fling your phone off into the unknowable ether of the postal system.
Verdict - is this the future of smartphones?
HMD Skyline
While I appreciate that having the ability to fix your own phone will not appeal to all, the HMD Skyline represents a massive evolutionary step forward on the self-fix-its to have come before. With this Pink or Black blower, you can retain the same phone for years upon end and simply replace the broken component when something goes wrong. As such, the Skyline is nothing less than a testament to HMD’s genius.
A decidedly snappy 8-core Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 consisting of 4x Cortex-A78 cores at 2400MHz and 4x Cortex-A55 at 1950MHz makes the HMD Skyline nippy. Along with this potently powerful processor comes either 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage, or 16GB and 256GB housed in a sleek and solid, 100 per cent recycled aluminium body.
So am I sold on the idea of a smartphone that I can disassemble and rebuild myself? If the product felt shoddy, if the build felt cheap and the functionality felt lacking, I wouldn’t even entertain the idea of touching it. But as it stands, the Skyline, with its premium build, superb tech spec and, of course, endless fixing flexibility strikes me as the overpoweringly obvious choice for the forward-thinking seeking a truly accident- and, moreover, future-proof smartphone. Human Mobile Devices indeed.
Buy now £449.99, Clove
