
Rumours about Nintendo entering the mobile phone arena have been floating around for what seems like years now but the company's US main man Reggie Fils-Aime has effectively quashed such speculation in a recent statement to the New York Times:
“Telephony is not in our wheelhouse. It's not something I anticipate us getting into."
Hardly a massive shock; it's clear that Nintendo is good at making games machines and the company is well aware that trying to appeal to a different sector of the market can often backfire (just look at the PSP's early life).
As much as we'd love to have a DS-successor that plays games, makes phone calls and even washes our dirty underwear, for the time being all of Nintendo's products are focused on one function, which is probably a good thing.
[source knowyourmobile.com]
Comments 20
That's obvious.
Putting aside the fact that Reggie always denies before he confirms, I don't think there's any way Nintendo is getting into the phone business. It's a completely different market than the one they're in, with practically no overlap. (From a business perspective. You iPhone users can put down your pitchforks.) Moving from one market to another provides almost zero leverage. Not to mention that many people would be weirded out by MARIO on their phones...
Which kind of sucks. I was looking forward to the return of the awesomeness that is... SIDE TALKIN'
Awwwwww shucks. ;(
I have phones for "telephony" and I have games to play games. So everything is fine.
With some internet trickery and an R4 card, you can make "free" local and international calls using your DS and it's Wi-Fi, mic, and speaker set-up. (Similar to Skype.) Totally unofficial, most likely illegal, but definitely possible.
Nintendo wouldn't have to make a brand new "system", just offer a game card with the appropriate program on it to make it happen.
(I don't want to post any direct links to these videos, but if you search YouTube for "DS Phone" you can see some examples of these hacks.)
No surprises here. It has been perfectly clear all along that they have no intentions in the phone arena; unfortunately, a few statements made by Miyamoto were terribly misinterpreted and traded around blogs as evidence of some phone ambitions, but all it takes is a little sense to see that their intentions with the DSi or any future portable devices do not tend in this direction.
Is it really still news when Reggie denies something?
Yes, Token, Reggie denied it so must be true. lol
old news aside, that is an awesome cell phone mod.
Even if Nintendo made a phone, I doubt it would ever make it out of Japan. I would much prefer keeping my phone and portable gaming separate, personally.
Oh, man! I would totally sell my iphone for a ninphone the first chance I got. Super Mario Bros. Motion Control anyone??? JK.
Nintendo doesn't even let us communicate in games!!! lololol it would be the irony of all ironies if the DS became a phone, when you aren't even allowed to write text messages through Nintendo games.
It would have been overpriced anyway.
That's no surprise.
Wait. There was a rumor about Nintendo entering the mobile phone business? LOL, even if it was true, I wouldn't get it. They'll probably fail there, good thing they were smart and stayed to the gaming business, where they're best at. Smart decision Nintendo. Not surprising at all.
it wouldve been nice
Even if we did get a nintendo phone, we would probably have to exchange friend codes in order to call each other. Other than that, it would be interesting to find out the legality of what Nintedophile said. If it is, then we actually do have an nPhone.
@Grengar
"Even if we did get a nintendo phone, we would probably have to exchange friend codes in order to call each other."
Man, I'd hate to have to ask someone for their number in order to phone them.
Good...
I remember when the GBA was rumored to have cell phone abilities, so yeah, it's been going around a while.
I do agree that we're better off without it, though. Nintendo should just stick to games.
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