In the past few days, there was a lot of buzz around Ayaneo, a popular name among handheld enthusiasts. Initially, a post on their Ayaneo Flip Indiegogo project seemed to hint at a rather disappointing halt in production. However, they’ve since pulled that announcement, offering some clarity in a follow-up post. Contrary to initial impressions, the Ayaneo Flip KB and Flip DS haven’t been scrapped.
What really happened is that while they did halt production of the Flip series, this decision came after fulfilling 98% of their crowdfunding orders, leaving only 18 orders unshipped. In essence, this means that the project was nearly complete before they made that call. Consequently, backers were given options either to get a refund or trade in for another Ayaneo product.
Moreover, the Flip series isn’t done yet. Ayaneo intends to manufacture a few hundred more Flip units in the upcoming months. They’ve also hinted at continuing the series, which means we might soon see a Flip DS 2 and Flip KB 2. While many devices in this category have foldable or slidable keyboards, my gut feeling is that doubling down on the Flip DS design might be the smart move, though that’s just my two cents.
This update is likely to excite those who were eyeing the Ayaneo Flip but were hesitant to jump into the crowdfunding pool. Thankfully, it looks like a retail launch is on the horizon with what’s being called a “limited restock plan.” However, the exact release date for these new units remains a mystery. Given the initial demand, don’t be shocked if they fly off the shelves once they hit the market.
It’s fingers crossed that enough units are available for real fans and that resellers don’t spoil things for everyone else. The Ayaneo Flip KB and especially the Flip DS bring something fresh to the gaming handheld table, setting them apart due to their unique form factor and powerful specs. It’s great to see that there’s still an opportunity for these devices to shine again before their next iterations roll out in the future.
For the 18 remaining backers still waiting for their units, there’s a crucial decision to be made. They have until March 27 to either opt for a refund or trade their order in for another Ayaneo device, assuming the previous terms still stand. Ayaneo has reassured that they’ve reached out to those affected to resolve their concerns.
