Recently, rumors started swirling around the Ayaneo Flip handhelds after Ayaneo removed an announcement on their Flip Indiegogo project page. Many took this as a sign that the devices were being entirely scrapped. However, a new post from Ayaneo sets the record straight, confirming that the Ayaneo Flip KB and Flip DS aren’t being discontinued, despite the initial wording’s suggestion otherwise.
To clarify, while it’s true that the production of the Ayaneo Flip series has been halted, this decision came after nearly all crowdfunding orders had been shipped—98% to be exact, leaving only 18 orders unshipped. These remaining orders are eligible for refund or trade-in options, as we previously mentioned in our reports.
Furthermore, Ayaneo insists the Flip series is still very much alive. They’ve committed to producing a few hundred more Ayaneo Flip units over the next three months and promised that the Flip series will carry on, signaling the possibility of future iterations like the Flip DS 2 and Flip KB 2. With folding or sliding keyboard gaming handhelds already on the market, sticking to the Flip DS design may be a smarter move, but that’s just my two cents.
This update is promising for potential Ayaneo Flip buyers who were holding out for a retail launch instead of engaging with the crowdfunding initiative. Although there’s no set date yet for the retail release of the restocked versions, it does sound like a “limited restock plan” is underway. Given the buzz around this release, I wouldn’t be shocked if these units sell out quickly once they drop.
Let’s hope there are enough units available for true fans, keeping scalpers from crashing the party. The original design of the Ayaneo Flip KB and particularly the Flip DS, combined with their powerful specifications, make them a standout choice among gaming handhelds today. Giving them another shot at the market before their successors eventually emerge is certainly a welcome opportunity.
However, there’s a bit of a sticky situation for the 18 backers who haven’t received their units yet. They’ll need to decide whether to take a refund or trade it in for another Ayaneo device by March 27, going by previous guidelines. Ayaneo has reached out to these affected backers directly.
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