The Sony Xperia Play may have been discontinued more than a decade ago, but its spirit appears to be living on in Ayaneo’s upcoming Pocket Play.
Fresh hands-on footage from Computex has given us a closer look at the device ahead of launch. It’s hard not to see the similarities. Like Sony’s cult-favourite gaming phone, the Pocket Play features a sliding design. This design reveals dedicated gaming controls hidden beneath the display.
Slide the 6.8-inch OLED screen upwards and you’ll find a D-pad, face buttons, shoulder triggers and a pair of touchpads that replace traditional analogue sticks. It’s a setup that immediately sets the Pocket Play apart from most gaming-focused Android phones. Typically, these rely on touchscreen controls or clip-on accessories.
According to PCWorld, which got some hands-on time with the device, those touchpads work surprisingly well in place of analogue sticks. That could make the Pocket Play particularly appealing for retro gaming, emulation and cloud gaming services. After all, physical controls still offer a much better experience than tapping on glass.
The design isn’t without compromises, though. The sliding mechanism adds noticeable bulk. With a large 6.8-inch display already on board, this isn’t shaping up to be a particularly pocket-friendly smartphone. The report also suggests Ayaneo has made some trade-offs with the camera system. However, specific details haven’t yet been confirmed.
Underneath, however, the Pocket Play looks far more modern than its Xperia Play inspiration. Ayaneo has equipped the handset with a MediaTek Dimensity 9300 processor. This puts flagship-level performance at the centre of the experience. Combined with a 165Hz OLED display, it should have more than enough power for demanding Android games. This also applies to game streaming platforms alike.
What makes the Pocket Play interesting isn’t necessarily the specs, though. Plenty of smartphones already offer powerful processors and high-refresh-rate displays. It’s the return of dedicated gaming controls in a smartphone form factor that gives this device its identity.
Ayaneo hasn’t revealed pricing or a launch date yet. However, with flagship hardware and a niche sliding design, don’t expect it to come cheap when it eventually arrives.
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