Ayaneo, the Chinese company that manufactures handhelds and mini PCs for gaming, is entering the smartphone market.
The company teased across social media a new product, the Ayaneo Phone, that it said will be «a mobile phone truly made for gamers.»
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A YouTube video showing only the back of the device revealed it to be a black smartphone with two cameras, an LED light and what appear as dual shoulder buttons that could be used when the phone is held horizontally. The video and the caption text didn’t include any details about the phone’s features, release date or pricing, only a QR code for the company’s Discord server.
A representative for Ayaneo did not immediately respond to a request for more information.
CNET’s review of Ayaneo’s Android-based Pocket S gaming portable was positive, but found the pricing, lack of a headphone jack and fan noise to be dealbreakers for a device starting at $559.
Commenters on YouTube said some of the features they’d like to see most on the Ayaneo phone include a 3.5mm headphone jack, an SD card slot and stereo speakers.
What to expect from the Ayaneo Phone
A mobile phone focused on gaming could be a natural progression for a company that’s been experimenting with a wide array of form factors — including some with full keyboards — for its handheld products.
«Ayaneo moving from the gaming handheld market into phones might actually make a lot of sense,» said CNET Senior Editor Mike Sorrentino. «The company already makes Android-based gaming devices and making one a true phone could make it a more natural companion.»
Sorrentino pointed out that to get into the mobile phone space, Ayaneo will need to do more than deliver games on good hardware.
«A common issue with the current gaming phone market is software and security support, which is especially critical for keeping your phone secure. So I hope that a new gaming phone hitting the market prioritizes that and not just its hardware specs,» he said.
CNET Senior Reporter David Lumb added that gaming phones have not traditionally sold well, with only a few companies, such as Asus and Red Magic, having achieved some modest success.
Lumb said that while Ayaneo is using higher-end Snapdragon processors in some of its Android devices, retro games in a smartphone may not need that much power.
«While this could and likely does mean better performance, a lot of older games on such handheld devices don’t need that muscle, only when emulating more relatively recent consoles,» he said.
