How many of you still fondly remember your first mobile phone? Way before Apple completely changed the game with the iPhone, Nokia was the undisputed market leader. Unfortunately, the company shuttered its operations in 2013 but made a comeback a few years later with the help of HMD Global. Their latest model — the Skyline — may no longer carry the iconic Finnish branding, but it has something cool in tow.

Tech industry pundits have long pointed out a trend wherein manufacturers make it almost impossible for users to repair their devices. Although parts and tools are readily available online, the process requires more than just a steady hand and guts. As such, the Skyline stands out with a feature its rivals seem to intentionally leave out.

There is no question guys will jump at the chance to tinker around with consumer electronics. For all we care, as long as the resources and instructions are on hand, we will try our best to fix it. Keep in mind that HMD Global does not guarantee it will be a cakewalk, but at least the option is there for those who are up to the task.

To access all the internal components of the Skyline, all that stands in our way is a single Torx screw. Lift the back panel with the help of a spudger, guitar pick, or plastic card, and everything is at your mercy. Reports confirm there are no proprietary connectors to stand in your way. Interestingly, despite this gimmick, the device touts an IP54 dust and water resistance rating.

Specifications

HMD Global positions the smartphone as a mid-range SKU. Its candybar form factor oddly reminds us of Nokia’s Lumia series. It packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 SoC with 8 GB/12 GB of RAM and 128 GB/256GB internal storage. MicroSD cards are supported as well, which is a nice bonus.

The Skyline runs on Android 14 out of the box with two major OS upgrades in the future. It flaunts a 6.55″ pOLED screen with a 144 Hz refresh rate under a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 panel. The aspect ratio is 20:9 with a 2400 x 1080 FHD+ resolution. A single 50-megapixel front-facing camera sits behind the hole-punch cutout.

In charge of primary imaging duties are a 108-megapixel main, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide, and a 50-megapixel telephoto camera. A replaceable 4600 mAh battery promises up to 48 hours of use with support for 33W fast charging,15W magnetic wireless charging, 5W reverse wireless charging. Finally, the Skyline comes in two colors: Neon Pink and Twisted Black.

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Images courtesy of HMD Global