Only yesterday, AYANEO CEO Arthur Zhang appeared to pour cold water on the idea of another dual-screen handheld, telling viewers during a product livestream that he โwonโt participate in the dual-screen battle.โ
Now, however, a new comment suggests there might be an asterisk attached to that statement.
We could see a dual-screen device from AYANEOโs KONKR after all
According to Retro Dodo, an insider has claimed that KONKR is indeed working on a dual-screen device, potentially meaning AYANEOโs budget-focused sub-brand could be prepping the handheld Arthur said wasnโt happening.
There are a few ways this could make sense without the two statements necessarily cancelling each other out.
Arthur may have been speaking specifically about AYANEO-branded hardware, rather than KONKR, which was created as the companyโs more affordable handheld line. KONKR has already been used for devices such as the Pocket ADVANCE and Pocket BLOCK, with AYANEO positioning the brand towards cheaper hardware than much of its premium catalogue.
Iโm currently reviewing the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE, and there doesnโt appear to be any real compromise on quality, so donโt worry too much about a new dual-screen offering being lackluster.
Thereโs also the possibility that the livestream translation wasnโt completely accurate, or that Arthur simply meant AYANEO wouldnโt be rushing into the current competition with devices such as the AYN Thor, Retroid Pocket Duo and ANBERNICโs dual-screen efforts.
AYANEO itself isnโt exactly unfamiliar with two screens, either. The company already released the Pocket DS, a premium Android clamshell featuring a 7-inch OLED display paired with a 5-inch 4:3 secondary screen.
If AYANEO can take what it learned from the Pocket DS and squeeze the concept into the more affordable KONKR range, we could end up with another proper device in the space, which has quickly become the latest craze of the retro handheld market.
For now, though, this is still insider information rather than an official announcement, so donโt take it as gospel.
