I've seen an article about Nintendo looking at smartphone integration for a possible console.
Here's something I wrote back on June 14th 2018:
Back when Animal Crossing Pocket Camp came out I joked that perhaps one of Nintendo’s next endeavors would be a phone. Is it really that far fetched?
Nintendo, especially with the Pokémon series has always wanted to have a device that you would take with you on the go. Usually these devices would count steps and have little Pokémon mini games. Recently they announced Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu / Eevee which works in tandem with the Pokémon go app.
The farthest back I can think of that’s a good example of Nintendo wanting you to have a product to take with you places is the DS. Certain stores would receive demo carts that you could download upcoming game demos and special content from. Then with the 3DS you have street pass, where even just passing someone else with a 3DS their mii would show up in your mii plaza and depending on which games you own, also receive content for those games as well.
Now with the Switch being a hybrid on-the-go and home console I really do believe it’s the next logical step. Everyone has a cellphone. With them venturing out into mobile app games and with this constant pushing for on-the-go gaming it just feels like it’s the direction they’re heading.
Nintendo also wants “every single person” to own a switch making it more logical that they would look into the phone market.
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What do you guys think? Is it possible that Nintendo would look into making a Smartphone? Or am I pulling this out of thin air?
Hmm... let's think about it...
Without the app ecosystem, no phone can survive. Nintendo can't just release a new smartphone, with it's own OS. So, it'll have to be iOS or Android, and since only Apple make iOS devices, it will have to be Android. And if they are going to use Android, they'll basically have a "Nintendo" software installed on it, which they can just release without the hardware too.
Most probably what they will do is have a tighter integration with smartphone. Basically an upgraded version of the Swich app we already have.
At least that's how I imagine it, without thinking on it for long.
I don't see the issue. The Steam Deck uses a modified version of Arch Linux. What stops Nintendo from just bringing a device that is mainly a mobile console but with phone features? Like, the PlayStation Vita (Had a sim-slot. 3G. SMS. Skype. some other apps) went really really good in Japan. In the west it died directly after birth, because who had good 3G at that time? And because the marketing in the west failed. First they claimed it would be a mobile PS3, and when PS4 came they degraded the Vita to "A device that streams your PS4". Wow... blah... Did you know that PlayStation runs on a modified FreeBSD? BSD is in the Unix family. Like Linux and macOS are. They're like everywhere. In most supercomputers and like the ISS. Just the desktop PC space is... reserved and believes for some reason nothing would work without Windows.
The Steam Deck, which runs Arch Linux, proves to the unbelieving masses that you can play games on Linux just fine, even if they're made for Windows... And if you take a moment to think about it... It, a Linux device, runs games that are made for WIndows... Which means they're way more complex than phone games... Then that's actually massive. Also, did you ever try to insert a PlayStation disc into an XBox?
Nintendo wouldn't need to make their own OS for phones, they could just customize a Linux too... Really, what's the issue? ...No, for real, there's Linux for phones. I mean, actual Linux. Not this horribly crippled abomination, that due to all the spyware they have by default leechs the battery within a day, Google created, called Android. ...Yes, that's a Linux too, as very sad and depressing one. -- Then, what's iOS? A macOS, basically. Anyway, do you understand where I'm coming from? Phones basically run Unixoids. As said, the Windows PC and the XBox (it runs Windows too, both block the development of gaming with Microsofts proprietary and exclusive DirectX garbage.) are basically the only aliens in computing. They're so alien, that people for some reaons can't even imagine that a company as powerful as Nintendo could make a phone. wow... Hilarious. :D Aside from the GameCube all Nintendo consoles are so damn underpowered, it kinda makes me believe they trained all their console-gaming life for doing something like heir own phone or whatever. The Gameboy series and the DS series always had ARM based CPUs. The Switch uses an Nvidia Tegra, literally a tablet processor. Really hope Switch2 or Nintendo Phone has an eShop that doesn't lag this horribly like the Switch1 one does.
At least that's how I imagine it, without thinking on it for long.
As a Linux user myself, I understand where you are coming from. I don't have a compatible device, but have been meaning to try these linux mobile OS that are around, specially want to try out Plasma mobile (which is basically a UI, but you get my point).
That being said, consumer level smartphones need tons of apps. Have you checked the amount of apps available on Play Store? You need those. For instance, there is no proper Linux client for WhatsApp or Signal. You need the android / iOS version to set them up. Same for tons of other applications. Many workplaces require some of these apps. Without these, no phone can succeed. Some of these are big name companies that might be ported, but there are many niche apps as well.
Just to clarify, I am talking from the point of view that it will be the primary smart phone we have. Not another smartphone, in addition to the android / iOS one we are already carrying.
Just an FYI, the Switch OS has some parts based on Android. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Switch_system_software
Interesting.
Thanks for the link.