If you miss Nokia’s old Windows Phones, you’ll love the HMD Skyline

No, you are not mistaken. The HMD Skyline really looks a lot resembles the old Nokia Lumia 920, especially from the front. From the rounded corners to the way the screen sits In Because the device doesn’t merge with the frame but rather blends into it, HMD has used one of the best-looking smartphones ever for the latest model in its new smartphone range.

There’s no hint of a Microsoft Windows Phone revival to go along with the Lumia-like look, though, as the Skyline runs Android 14 (no RB26DETT like I’d usually like to see for a Skyline) and the big new feature isn’t so much the camera, but something called Detox Mode. This is the latest in HMD’s efforts to limit your phone usage, and lets you add apps and even people to a hard lock silent list so nothing interrupts you for a set amount of time, or until you reboot the phone.

Detox mode can be activated manually or programmed to activate at specific times, and there’s also a widget for direct control from the home screen. It will be made available in a software update for the Skyline in August, and will likely be part of future HMD smartphones. The Skyline’s other key feature is its repairability, which HMD has prioritized over a long software update period, as more people want cheap and easy repairs than software updates that run for several years or longer than they’ll realistically keep the phone. The Skyline has two years of major updates and three years of security updates.

You don’t need to be a DIY wizard either, as HMD has improved the repair options even further compared to the first generation of phones. All you need is a spudger, a small screwdriver, and less than 10 minutes to replace a broken screen or a dead battery. Spare parts will also be available from iFixit over the next five years. Repairing the phone yourself won’t void the warranty, and thanks to the clever design, the phone even retains its IP54 water and dust resistance rating.

The Skyline’s camera array is led by a 108-megapixel camera on the back, with a 50MP telephoto lens for 4x optical zoom, as well as a 13MP wide-angle camera. On the front, there’s a 50MP camera with eye tracking and 4K video recording, as well as gesture recognition so you don’t have to tap the screen to take a photo. There’s a dedicated camera button on the aluminum frame, and its functionality can also be customized. Other features include a 6.55-inch pOLED screen with a 144Hz refresh rate, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7S Gen 2 processor, and a 4,600mAh battery.

The HMD Skyline is now available in two colors – Twisted Black and Neon Pink – with the choice of an 8GB RAM/128GB storage version for £399, or around $518, or £499/$648 for the 12GB RAM/256GB storage model. A US release date is currently unknown, but should it be released, it will start at $499.