Since first revealing the Konkr Pocket Advance a couple of months ago, Ayaneo has received a lot of feedback from fans and customers, and not for all the right reasons. First were complaints surrounding the marketing campaign, with the Chinese tech brand revealing not one, but two alternative colors after opening pre-orders, leading some to second-guess their original decision. Now, though, it’s getting another dose of feedback heat, with the GBA-style Android handheld not shipping to all users in September, after an original delay from August.
In an email to customers, via Reddit, the brand behind some of the best retro handhelds of recent years confirmed that it now plans only “to ship approximately 50-60% of the pre-orders during September.” It also alluded to some models shipping sooner than others, having shipped five or six batches so far, consisting of a larger number of 4G Navy models, with more Grey units expected to ship within days, according to Ayaneo.
The brand blames upcoming national holidays in China while insisting that production is going smoothly. However, it’s hard to believe Ayaneo couldn’t see these issues coming, considering the national holidays were on the calendar long before marketing began. The fact that it’s a second delay is also rubbing salt in the wound of those waiting for their orders to arrive.
Frustrated users have taken to Reddit to complain about the shipping issues, lamenting the “lack of professionalism” following the email. However, some have come to Ayaneo’s defense, stating that their orders have arrived and that the brand is being as transparent as possible. The replies also seem to confirm Ayaneo’s suggestions that the current shipping schedule is based on order specifications, with 4GB Navy units arriving with customers.
If you’ve ordered the Konkr Pocket Advance and it hasn’t arrived yet, there isn’t much you can do right now other than wait. The email from Ayaneo says that shipping should move “much faster” once the national holidays are out of the way, which should be around October 7, so hopefully, you’ll be able to get your hands on the device before too long.
