New Anbernic handheld is a throwback to the Motorola FlipOut

Anbernic is yet to release the RG Vita and RG Vita Pro handhelds, despite announcing them more than a month ago. Nevertheless, it appears that hasn't stopped the manufacturer from developing new products, one of which has appeared in a video. While a new handheld isn't surprising news, what makes this one special is its design.

The unnamed handheld has made its appearance in a video posted on the r/SBCGaming subreddit by the user Qink001. The video shows a device with a square form factor and a touch display. It doesn't seem like much until the screen swivels 90° to reveal control buttons hidden underneath. That flipping motion should be familiar to those who are conversant with the smartphones of the 2000 to 2010 era such as the Motorola FlipOut.

The controls, which sit in a recessed area to prevent them from catching during the sliding motion, include a D-Pad, colored ABXY buttons, start and select buttons, and a circular button at the top center whose function is unknown. The video shows the device in silver with an Anbernic logo at the bottom and a lanyard hole at the corner. There are also shoulder buttons and four screws visible on the back.

There are no technical details of the handheld, but it does appear to be running Android based on the Chrome browser icon on the homescreen. It remains to be seen whether this device will be released like the Anbernic RG Slide (available on Amazon for $174.99) or if it is just a proof of concept.