AYANEO has acknowledged rumors that “the 4:3 retro endgame” Android handheld, the Pocket S Mini, is shipping with a smaller battery than advertised. Early marketing and the store page promised a 6,000mAh pack for the Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 machine, but retail units are actually fitted with a 4,700mAh cell instead. AYANEO says this traces back to a production miscommunication where suppliers used an earlier prototype spec, and fixing it now would delay shipments by months.
The whole thing is starting to sound a little familiar: anyone who preordered the Pocket S Mini can either cancel for a full refund or accept the downgraded handheld plus a free Pocket Air Mini. The Air Mini is a smaller, less powerful Android device with the same 4.2‑inch 4:3 form factor and a Helio G90T under the hood. AYANEO is clearly framing this as a make‑good that goes beyond the usual store credit or coupon code, and in isolation, it’s not a bad offer.
The problem is that nothing happens in isolation with this company anymore. Just a few weeks ago, they rolled out a big “2026 Service Improvement Plan,” promising tighter quality control, clearer communication, and fewer Indiegogo fire drills after getting dragged by reviewers and the broader community.
The Pocket S Mini fiasco digs into that sore spot. Shipping a handheld that doesn’t match the advertised spec is the exact kind of basic QA failure their new plan was supposed to catch. Offering a free Air Mini softens the blow, but it doesn’t change the fact that buyers are once again being told to accept less.
If AYANEO really wants to rebuild trust, this has to be the exception that proves the rule, not the first stumble in yet another cycle of “we hear you” posts followed by preventable mistakes.
Source: AYANEO
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2 Comments
Haha, wow. Interesting to learn this latest development. Ayaneo just can’t get out of its own way. I’m going to stick with Retroid or else go for an AYN device, next, and bypass the fiascos that follow Ayaneo!
I think this is nuanced. Yes, they made a mistake with the battery and are offering this “compensantion”, but they did go through with their proposition of not using IGG campaigns and just launch the device in their website. It’s baby steps, but they’re in the correct direction.