Rumors that Nintendo will launch a new, more powerful Switch this year, in addition to the Switch Lite version that will be sold starting September 20, have been playing for some time. Now, the American newspaper Wall Street Journal unveils an agreement between the Japanese company and Sharp to create screens designed to manufacture more updated models “to make the platform’s lifecycle long,” Nintendo sources tell WSJ.
Katsuaki Nomura, vice president of Sharp, says he is developing IGZO screens (which stands for indium gallium zinc oxide) for a video game company, which the WSJ assumes is Nintendo because it is the only manufacturer of consoles with a screen in these moments.
IGZO panels are currently being used on Sharp high-end televisions with 8K technology and Aquos mobile phones such as R2. Both devices have a resolution much higher than the 720p of the Nintendo Switch Lite, a fact that would be indicative that these panels will not be used in the next model of the console.
The rumors that speak of a more powerful version of Switch come from the same source that spoke of a cheaper version of the console, without HD vibration and without other functions to cut costs; basically, what has ended up being Switch Lite.
The supposed more powerful version would be aimed at more dedicated players and would compete with PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, although it would not be as powerful as these systems.
As always, this is still a rumor. The information comes from the journalist Takashi Mochizuki, who has multiple sources at Nintendo and in the Japanese technology sector, but until it is confirmed by Nintendo, it must continue to be taken with a pinch of salt, since the plans of the companies can change depending on many factors.
Nintendo has sold 36.87 million Switch as of June 30. In the last quarter, from April 1 to the end of June, 2.13 million consoles were sold.
An update of the current Nintendo Switch model will arrive in Europe in September. Its main novelty will be a change in the CPU that will allow it to consume less battery, increasing the time we can play before having to charge it again.