Pre-ordered an AYANEO Flip? You might not be getting one.
AYANEO's Nintendo DS-inspired handheld, the Flip, has officially been discontinued, despite some pre-orders of the clamshell portable not yet being delivered to backers — leaving some customers frustrated and scrambling for refunds.
In an update shared on the project's IndieGoGo page, AYANEO noted that there are now “no immediate plans to proceed with production”, adding that this unexpected decision comes after evaluating their “product roadmap and strategic priorities”. The Shenzhen-based company did not provide any further specifics, but this somewhat abrupt cancellation, before all pre-orders were fulfilled, raises questions about what went wrong — particularly as, based on the comment shared, it appears to be largely a business decision rather than a logistical one.
The handheld was first announced in late September of 2023, with pre-orders opening in January of 2024, and shipping to backers beginning in April of last year. According to IndieGoGo, just over 850 pre-orders were placed — it's unclear just how many of those will now not receive their Flip devices.
The AYANEO Flip, which came in both a keyboard and dual-screen variant, was pitched as an intriguing alternative to the current crop of portables, offering a clamshell design reminiscent of the Nintendo DS or GPD Win series devices. With options for AMD Ryzen 7 7840U or Ryzen 5 7640U processors, it was designed to pack a serious punch in a portable form factor.
We came away fairly impressed in our initial review of the AYANEO Flip KB, calling it "a damn good job" for what was the company's first foray into creating a portable with a folding form factor.
In recent years, AYANEO has built up something of a reputation for churning out innovative but niche handhelds at a rather dizzying pace. These devices typically are crowdfunded via IndieGoGo before then being made more widely available — however, with this abrupt cancellation of the Flip, some are now rightly questioning whether the company bit off more than it could chew.
Chris Brandrick
Regardless of the reasoning, canceling a product before fulfilling all pre-orders isn’t a great look — especially for a company that relies on community trust for crowdfunded projects.
So, if you pre-ordered the AYANEO Flip, you might want to check your emails pronto.