Gaming phones are pretty solid these days – powerful chipset, large batteries, bright screens – but how about a gaming phone that offers sliding physical controls? That sounds cool.
Remember the PlayStation Portable (PSP)? Yeah, that was a major success for Sony, selling over 80 million units worldwide. It had a great game library, various multimedia features, and powerful hardware. It's precisely because of the PSP success that Sony launched the Xperia Play in 2011.
Do phones with sliding controls have a future?
Yes, they're fascinating.
71.05%
I'm not sure at the moment.
11.4%
I think they'll go away.
17.54%
This one combined smartphone functionality with a slide-out game controller, aiming to bring PlayStation-style gaming to mobile. While innovative for its time, it saw limited commercial success and was quietly phased out.
Now, a company called Ayaneo will probably try to resurrect this form factor with the upcoming Ayaneo Phone.
If Ayaneo sounds a bit familiar to you, it's because we reported about the Ayaneo Pocket DS, a dual-screen handheld device aimed at gamers and running Android. The Ayaneo Pocket DS features a 6.7-inch 16:9 top display and a smaller, more square-shaped bottom screen with physical controls:
Image credit – Ayaneo
That, however, is just a gaming platform.
Now, Ayaneo apparently enters the smartphone market with plans to launch the Ayaneo Phone, its first gaming-focused smartphone. Designed with gamers in mind, the device is expected to include a sliding mechanism with built-in physical controls, echoing the layout of the classic Xperia Play. While detailed specs remain under wraps, Ayaneo positions the phone as a full-featured smartphone, unlike competing devices such as the Anbernic RG Slide, which lacks mobile connectivity.
Alongside the Ayaneo Phone, the company introduced Konkr, a new sub-brand aimed at delivering affordable handheld gaming hardware. The first Android-based model, the Konkr Pocket Fit, features a 6-inch 1080p display with a 144Hz refresh rate and is powered by a flagship Qualcomm chipset, with a focus on portability and comfort. A Windows-based version, the Konkr Fit, will include a 7-inch display and a large 80Wh battery, promising high performance in a compact form.
It seems that it's great to be a (mobile) gamer in 2025.
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Sebastian, a veteran of a tech writer with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, blends his lifelong fascination with writing and technology to provide valuable insights into the realm of mobile devices. Embracing the evolution from PCs to smartphones, he harbors a special appreciation for the Google Pixel line due to their superior camera capabilities. Known for his engaging storytelling style, sprinkled with rich literary and film references, Sebastian critically explores the impact of technology on society, while also perpetually seeking out the next great tech deal, making him a distinct and relatable voice in the tech world.
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