HMD has revealed a rather unique mid-range smartphone called the Skyline. Aside from its bright pink colour, two standout features allow the model to stand out among a sea of similar devices.
The most notable of the pair is Detox Mode, which blocks all notifications and disables apps, effectively turning your smartphone into a dumb phone.
The company says Detox mode offers users a way to take “a break from the digital world,” allowing them to take a breather from all the notifications they receive in a given day. HMD goes on to say that they wanted to differentiate themselves from competitors whose “detox features… only silence apps and notifications.”
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Users will have the option to configure the feature to their liking.
You can choose “which apps or categories of apps to disable.” For example, Skyline can block all social media platforms and dating apps from notifying you, but allow messages from mobile games and streaming services to be sent. HMD even lets you mute individual contacts via the menu.
Detox mode has two levels: Soft Lock and Hard Lock. The first allows you to disable notifications, as we have explained so far. It allows you to set a four-hour time limit on the blocking tool. Or, if you prefer, you can set a custom limit.
It's not yet known what Hard Lock does, as the product listing doesn't detail it, so we've reached out to HMD for more information.
State-of-the-art repairability
HMD designed the Skyline to be easily repairable, and to exist in a state the company calls “Gen2 repairability.” It’s something they care about so much that it’s featured prominently in marketing materials and the official announcement.
A brief description of how to repair the device can be found on the company's official blog. The phone's cover is held in place by a single screw and a rotating arm, and removing them provides full access to the model's internal hardware.
Thanks to the Gen2’s repairability, HMD says owners can replace charging ports, displays, and dead batteries. iFixit will provide the tools and replacement parts for the Skyline, so consumers have an easy place to get their hands on it. While there are already how-to guides on iFixit’s website, the components aren’t yet available for purchase.
Specifications
Under the hood, the Skyline is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset and a 4600mAh battery that lasts up to 48 hours on a single charge. Storage capacity is fairly limited, maxing out at 512GB with a MicroSD card.
Its camera array is impressive, with a 108MP main lens with OIS (optical image stabilisation), a 13MP ultra-wide-angle and a 50MP telephoto option. The latter two lenses support HMD’s Capture Fusion technology, ensuring zoomed-in photos with great detail.
On the front is a 6.55-inch pOLED touchscreen, which generates a FullHD Plus image resolution (1080 x 2400 pixels) at a 144 Hz refresh rate.
The HMD Skyline is set to launch in August and will be available in neon pink and braided black. There’s no word on its cost yet, but GSMArena claims it will sell for $499/€499/£399. The publication goes on to say that it won’t come with a wall charger in the box either.
Be sure to check out TechRadar's list of the best budget smartphones for 2024.
