Today, HMD unveiled its latest own-brand smartphone called the Skyline. The phone is powered by a mid-range Snapdragon 7s Gen2 CPU, and comes with up to 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM. It has 15W Qi2 wireless charging, and its 4,600mAh battery is rated to last “up to 48 hours.” The screen is a 6.55-inch full HD+ panel with a 144Hz refresh rate and up to 1,000 nits of brightness. Choose from pink (maybe they had some leftover Barbie collaboration left over) or black for your phone color. Skyline phones will be available from August, priced at $499.
The spotlight feature for the Skyline is ease of repair. That’s been a focus for recent projects from HMD, which also makes phones under the Nokia brand. The phone’s back cover can be removed, allowing a user or a third-party shop to replace a cracked screen, worn-out battery or bent charging port. Replacement parts are available in select markets via iFixit, which said the Skyline will have nearly the same repairability levels as the Fairphone. Right-to-repair movements have gained traction in the past year, with even reluctant device makers beginning to change their tune. It’s positive to see HMD not only offering a DIY repair option, but making it easy to do so.
Skyline also comes equipped with some notable photography features. The 50MP front-facing camera offers autofocus and eye-tracking. It also has “selfie gesture” hardware that takes a photo in response to one of four common hand gestures. The rear camera is 108MP and has both portrait and night modes to capture the right shot for the moment.
As more people want the option to unplug from the always-on lifestyle, Skyline will offer a Detox Mode. The feature allows users to select specific apps and contacts to block during scheduled breaks. It could be useful for people who find themselves spending more time than they’d like on social media or gaming, or for those who need to draw clear boundaries around work-life balance.
