While it has continued to distance itself from Nokia’s mobile branding, HMD is hoping that its latest launch will be enough to win over Nokia fans, and it’s leaning into some of the stuff that made Nokia’s earlier handsets great in the first place. Known as the “HMD Skyline,” the new phone takes familiar design and adds more modern components, such as a Snapdragon processor, more powerful cameras, and the latest version of Android inside.
This isn’t exactly new for HMD however – ever since its acquisition of the Nokia mobile business a few years back, the company has released a ton of updated versions of vintage Nokia phones, featuring redesigned hardware and newer software. Going back to the HMD Skyline, you might be curious as to what HMD’s latest throwback handset offers – let’s take a look.
Design and Display
Obviously, one of the Skyline’s biggest highlights is the design – HMD has decided to bring back the look that we saw with the Nokia N9 and several Nokia Lumia smartphones, with a rectangular design that wraps around the display. With the Skyline, HMD has included metal sides, and even a removable back plate that gives users easy access to the battery and more. This falls in line with HMD’s stance on repairability, given that all of its recently-launched phones are advertised as easily repairable for buyers.
As for the display, the HMD Skyline packs a lot of the same stuff that’s usually found on most midrange smartphones these days. For the screen, there’s a P-OLED panel which measures 6.55 inches, and comes with a 144Hz refresh rate as well. It’s not too bright however maxing out at 1,000 nits of peak brightness, although this is a midrange smartphone after all, so certain limitations are to be expected.
Internals and Software
Given its price, the HMD Skyline comes with a mid-tier chipset in the form of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, a decent performer despite not being classed as a flagship SoC. This works with up to 12GB of RAM for the maxed-out version, and there’s also a 4,600 mAh battery. As we mentioned earlier, the phone’s repairable design allows users to swap out the battery should they need to replace it.
For software, the Skyline runs on the current Android 14 platform version, with a relatively clean user interface somewhat akin to the Google Pixel phones (with the exception of a couple of HMD apps). It’s one of the highlights of HMD (and previously, Nokia) devices, making them one of the few devices on the market without a heavily-customized version of Android. For an even more minimalist experience, the phone comes with a dedicated “Detox Mode” which allows users to cut down on their smartphone usage and focus on the essentials.
In terms of software updates, HMD says that it will provide up to two years of major Android platform upgrades for the Skyline, in addition to three years of security updates.
Cameras, Additional Features
In terms of camera hardware, the HMD Skyline packs a 108 MP main camera, which comes alongside a 13 MP ultrawide camera and a 50 MP telephoto camera. For selfies, there’s a 50 MP camera which handles front-facing duties. HMD says that the Skyline’s camera system comes with “Capture Fusion” technology which it claims can provide users with great-looking photos.
Other hardware integrations include a side-mounted fingerprint reader and micro SD card slot – these are more or less a rarity on a ton of newer phones these days, so seeing them on the Skyline is a much-welcome treat. The HMD Skyline is available in the UK for £499.99.
