It ’s rarified to find out a smartphone that has a unique feature these days , and specially one that ’s useable at a bargain price . TheHMD Skylinehappens to retick both those boxes with its genuinely simple repairability and sizable rebate on its normal damage inAmazon ’s Cyber Week stack .
Normally $ 500,the HMD Skyline is $ 475 through Amazon right now , and not only is it an unlocked phone ready for use with the AT&T , T - Mobile , Cricket , and Tracfone networks but the cost also applies to the three different color variation . This is important because although youcouldchoose the canonic pitch-dark variation , youshouldgo for the far more center - catch Blue Topaz or Neon Pink model .
The reason is not just because brightly colored phones are better but also because it recalls thewonderful world of Nokia ’s Windows Phones , the plan of which the HMD Skyline very in effect homages . It ’s no coincidence either , as HMD ( formally HMD Global , now known as Human Made Devices , or HMD ) has the permit to put the Nokia name on fluid phones . The aim really win me over when I survey the Skyline , particularly because the speech sound is so comfortable to carry , a pattern aspect that ’s not always a given these days .
The HMD Skyline ’s $ 475 price means it keeps rate with a fate of fantabulous phones like theOnePlus Nord4 , theSamsung Galaxy A35andGalaxy A55 , along with theNothing Phone 2a , but none of these provide a way to quickly and easily interchange a low projection screen , a stamp battery past its best , or even the speaker at home plate , yourself .
Cheaper and more commodious than taking it to a specialist , HMD has made repairing the Skyline very simple through its partnership with iFixit , and it ’s a tangible rarity today . I successfully withdraw the Skyline apart with a very basic set of tools in just a few mo , and I ’ve watched an HMD interpreter replace the screen in under 10 minute . It’sthateasy .
If you need a new smartphone with computer hardware that ’s going to last , the HMD Skyline is worth reckon at this price , particularly if you ’re prone to dropping or accidentally damaging your devices . HMD has prioritise hardware repairability over its package update policy , but does still promise to deliver two main Android version updates along with three years of security system update .
The HMD Skyline sets itself asunder from the competition not through the camera but through its smashing design and bare repairability . At $ 475 , it ’s a much good deal than it is at the usual price , and it may just turn up to be the phone that lasts you the longest , just because you could easy fix any accidental damage yourself .
