REACH FOR THE SKY-LINE
- Human Mobile Devices is putting the 'human' back into phone
design with its new smartphone: HMD Skyline
- Made for creators, the device boasts a great camera and a
fresh approach to repairability and digital detox
- Designed for repair ease, the launch could mean the end of
cracked screens ruining your day
- Complete with new Detox Mode available from August,
Skyline is a smartphone with a dumbphone function, allowing users
to take a break from digital noise
- Snap, selfie-check and socialise in ultrawide with HMD
Skyline's 108MP camera bling
- Human Mobile Devices proves once again that great design
doesn't have to cost a lot
LONDON, July 18,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Back in February at Mobile World
Congress in Barcelona – one of the
biggest global tech conferences - one company stood out from the
crowd and stole plaudits with a stunning line-up of human-first,
innovative and fun-packed devices.
It was Human Mobile Devices, a global tech company not yet ten
years-old, but with an insatiable challenger mindset, Europe's largest smartphone maker AND one of
the leading manufacturers of feature phones.
Previously going by the acronym HMD, the company re-branded as
Human Mobile Devices at the start of 2024. As well as announcing an
exciting partnership strategy, which sees the brand partner with a
sparkling roster of global lifestyle brands to launch a suite of
bespoke phones, Human Mobile Devices doubled down on the market
leading work it was already doing in the repairability, digital
detox and value spaces.
Today (July 18th),
following a string of phone launches over the past six months,
Human Mobile Devices drops its eagerly awaited premium handset –
HMD Skyline. It is a phone for the creators that has remarkable
functionality, unrivalled repairability, and looks that could kill.
Human Mobile Devices proves once again that great design doesn't
have to cost a lot.
In testament to its super-powerful photo capabilities, Human
Mobile Devices has turned to Gen Z superstar snapper Rosanna
Elettra to test drive the new HMD Skyline, capturing ten striking
images shot and edited entirely on HMD Skyline following a group of
Gen Z fashionistas on a night out.
Lars Silberbauer, Global CMO
of Human Mobile Devices, said; "Human Mobile Devices is
human by design…and that's what we've done with HMD Skyline, put
consumers first. There are so many great functions on this phone to
call out. The camera is a creator's dream, but you've also got
unrivalled repairability options and a step-changing detox mode
too. We are making smartphones easy to repair, and we inspired the
digital detox movement for 'balanced relationships' with technology
when we brought back feature phones. HMD Skyline is the next step:
it's repair and detox all in one. And it looks absolutely beautiful
to boot."
Celebrity photographer Rosanna Elettra took the HMD
Skyline for a test drive, she commented: "I've had
the joy of capturing acclaimed artists like Rhianna, Central Lee,
Aitch and Cara Delevingne and in this industry you can get a call
out of nowhere for a job that will completely change your career so
it's great to have the option to shoot with a smartphone like HMD
Skyline. What's amazing about this device is how it's been
designed to not only be your faithful pocket camera, but also how
easy it is to repair and the fact that it has Detox Mode, everyone
needs a break from the digital noise so it's definitely a welcome
new Mode to a smartphone."
Commenting on Skyline's Gen2 repairability and Human Mobile
Devices' on-going commitment to the issue, Kyle Wiens, CEO at iFixit said; "Human
Mobile Devices has set a new bar for repairable design. This is
what happens when a design team considers repair from the start.
Human Mobile Devices' approach to disassembly is a quantum leap
forward".
HMD SKYLINE
Your shots are about to take off: snap, selfie-check, and
socialise (in ultrawide)
Skyline has been built with a progressive GenZ audience firmly
in mind, so the camera capabilities are standout – and seemingly
endless. The 50MP front camera comes with autofocus and
eye-tracking to ensure the sharpest of selfies, and with Skyline,
creators don't even need to press a button or set a timer to take a
picture. The device comes with in-built 'selfie gesture' hardware,
which means all users have to do is to look at the phone while
making the universal peace sign (or one of three other hand signs)
to activate the camera. You can also create video selfies in
4k.
The 108MP Hybrid OIS triple rear camera is equally impressive,
ensuring users are ready for any shot. Portrait mode allows for
stunning 50mm shots with natural bokeh effect and crisp close-ups
can be achieved with the x4 zoom function. Night Mode 3.0 balances
exposure and preserves detail, and stunning scenery and group shots
can be captured using the 0.5 ultra-wide mode. And there's AI
Capture Fusion too to add maximum detail to zoom images.
Pop the hood and fix-it-yourself: strip back to design
brilliance
The end of cracked screens ruining your day. HMD Skyline is the
first mobile phone with Gen2 repairability, which means repairing
your phone is easier than ever before. By just popping off the back
cover and removing the screws, you (or your repair centre) can
repair your screen easily and quickly. The new design also allows
users to fix bent charging ports, scratched back covers and
depleted batteries.
HMD Skyline advances mobile phone repairability to the next
level, an area Human Mobile Devices has been leading the way on in
recent years. Adding weight to the notion that 'F.I.Y is Fly',
research revealed 45 per cent of Gen Zs say they're more likely to
buy an electrical device if they can easily repair it
themselves1. With Skyline, repairability is child's
play. In fact, the HMD Skyline screen is 65% easier to repair than
HMD's first repairable smartphone, the G22.
Stripping back to design brilliance, Skyline's innovative build
uses an internal screw-driven camshaft to help speed up
disassembly. Pop open the back cover with the turn of a single
screw, then slip a pry tool underneath to reveal a simple but
elegant mechanism: a screw-driven rotating arm, with a spring to
pull it back down when released. Turn it, and its cam lobe pushes
against a plate on the back cover, which clips back together once
done.3
A smartphone with dumbphone functionality: Detox
Mode shuts down your socials
And the good news just keeps on coming. In August, the
super-slick smartphone for the ages will come with a powerful new
in-built detox mode with bespoke app and contact blocking, allowing
users to tailor their detox to their needs, focus on the real world
and enjoy a balanced smartphone experience whenever they need a
break from the digital world.
With the digital detox movement continuing to gather pace,
particularly among Gen-Z, it is a timely technological advance that
stands above competitors' detox functions, which usually only
silence apps and notifications.
Skyline launches in two distinct colourways, Neon Pink and
Twisted Black. It is fixed with up to 48-hour battery2
and Qi2 magnetic charging for slick wireless charging stations.
Skyline is available now at hmd.com for £399 for the 8/128GB and
£499 for the 12/256. For a limited time only all customers can
claim a limited HMD Apparel capsule that includes Edition One
hoodies and caps.
Notes to editors
TM and © 2024 HMD Global. All
rights reserved.
1Based on a survey conducted by One Poll on behalf of HMD between 12th to
17th April 2024 of 1,000 mobile phone
owners.
2Based on a real-life usage test by HMD Global. See more
info at www.hmd.com/hmd-skyline.
3 Self-repair support available through iFixit in select
markets. Details available at https://www.hmd.com/self-repair
About Human Mobile Devices
We are Human Mobile Devices, and we start by tuning into what
people really want. Our consumers are passionate about the planet,
often feel swamped by digital overload, and are keeping a close eye
on their budget. That's why we are thrilled to be Europe's largest smartphone maker, championing
repair-at-home phones, and a go-to for much needed digital time
out. Coming this year, you can expect to see a new portfolio
of Human Mobile Devices original mobile devices, as well as Nokia
phones and exciting new partnerships. For further information, see
www.hmd.com.
Photo -
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2464356/HMD_Skyline.jpg
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