The Retroid Pocket Flip 2 and Classic orders should all be fulfilled by May 2, 2025.

According to an announcement shared on the Retroid Discord, the company is aiming to have all pre-orders for this year’s flagship devices, the Flip 2 and Classic, shipped in the next few weeks.

Flip 2 and Classic pre-orders ship starting April 13 and 16, respectively

The rollout for the devices has been shrouded by the Retroid Pocket Mini screen debacle, and shortly after a resolution was offered by the company, new tariffs affecting handhelds coming from China to America were announced.

Tariffs Could Spark Change

The backsides of the Retroid Pocket 5 top) and the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro (bottom)

Those tariffs can result in drastic price increases for all of the retro handhelds we buy — at least for US customers. By taking preorders before the tariffs were announced and put into place, Retroid could be in an odd position that would either see them asking those who have ordered to prepare for additional tariff costs when the device is delivered or altering the price depending on region to account for the tariffs themselves.

The de minimis exemption that allows for these Chinese handhelds to be shipped to America with little overhead is expected to officially end on the same day Retroid plans to finish shipping out pre-orders, May 2nd. If a device is received in America before that date, there would be no “tariff tax” to pay, but after that date, it should be expected.

It still remains to be seen how both Chinese companies and the various postal networks and services will handle these costs, and unless something changes, the infrastructure of ordering these handhelds may change.

The current US administration has been attempting to negotiate tariffs with the respective countries affected, but the most impactful dispute in recent weeks has been between the US and China. After the tariffs were enacted by the sitting administration, China responded in kind with retaliatory tariff increases on goods from America.

In a new separate retaliatory effort, America is planning on further increasing tariffs on Chinese goods to over 100%. Naturally, this would deeply impact the cost and possible future of retro handhelds and the market therein once the de minimis exemption is no longer applicable.

Retroid is Moving Forward Regardless

The Retroid Pocket Flip 2 as seen in Stubb’s first impressions video

With Retroid aiming to start fulfilling orders for the Flip 2 on April 13th and the Classic three days later on the 16th, it’s highly likely that most customers will receive their shipments before the exemption is fully rescinded. These two devices are some of the most hyped releases in recent retro handheld memory. There’s no shortage of excitement packed into the upcoming drops.

With all of the news, updates, and releases surrounding Retroid products, it has proven to be a roller coaster of a year for the company. They announced a sequel to one of their most beloved handhelds, announced a return to vertical handhelds, and partnered with Qualcomm to ensure power and performance for both Android 13 on the RP5 and Android 14 on the Classic, but all of that is interwoven with news that could be disastrous for the company.

We will have to await further updates on how the market will embrace or reject the various changes that may be enacted, but at the very least, Retroid is trying to ensure the problems never reach the customer and that their products remain desirable at their given price point.

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