
If you have the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app, you can now download a new update taking it to version 1.5.0.
Sadly, there are no new features (or even any much-needed overhauls of its current features) that are really worth exploring. With other apps like Discord and Skype offering better, more convenient ways to communicate with friends while gaming, the Switch Online app could really do with some big changes.
Here are the full patch notes should you want to update your app:
Android:
- Various improvements have been made for performance and ease of use, including changes to button locations.
- Various issues are now resolved.
- The supported Android versions have changed. Android version 5.0 or higher is now required to use this app.
iOS:
- Various performance and usability improvements implemented, including changing the button display position.
- Bug fixes implemented.
- Supported iOS versions changed. To use this app, iOS 10.0 or later is now required.
It's a shame really - the Splatnet feature is a lovely little addition for Splatoon 2, and if the app worked just like Discord but with your Switch friends list easily accessible it'd be great. Hopefully some bigger changes are in the works.
Do you use the Switch Online app to play with friends? Do you use an alternative, or perhaps even forget about playing with friends online altogether? Let us know down below.
[source itunes.apple.com, via play.google.com, reddit.com]
Comments 42
Oh right, this exists
No Stability? They are slacking
I use it to check whe Grizz is open but little else
I use it for splatoon 2 but I've never tried the voice chat. When will Nintendo get their s*** together?
Ease of uselessness
everything is so slow over there, eshop/switch dashboard both need major impovements, just hire more dev if you need , why is this a problem
I don't really game online much other than Mario Kart or Tetris 99 so thankfully haven't felt the need to download the app
I just turned that thing on for the first time in months the other day.
I was reporting teammates that spent the match jumping off the stage over & over when no one wanted to join their squid party but hey, glad I didn't uninstall it.
Nintendo mobiling like it's 2010.
My guesshope is that they're saving a big update for E3.
@KingdomHeartsFan this approach might be right for the dashboard but not the eshop. if they spend some time/money on improving it people only getting a switch now would be better able to find games released months/yrs ago. great games like steam world hesit have been buried by the constant dump of games on to the eshop, increasing discover-ability will only increase sales esp of the older games
When is the Smash update happening? Or has Nintendo quietly dropped it?
I just opened the app after the update. Nothing to see here
@Trajan This month. Which means between now and 22 days.
Nintendo has apps?
Oh, update for Nintendo Online Service ?
I will update later after i go home. 😀
I just had a thought, I remember that in the Smash direct back in November before the game came out, they mentioned making a Smash World service similar to SplatNet 2 for Splatoon 2. I wonder what happened to that... Mind you, that might be part of Version 3.
Just take Splatnet off the app and make a website, then kill the app. Its basically worthless except for tracking progress in Splatoon.
LOL...total Garbage update. i run a custom firmware on android 4. something, requiring 5.0 is a guarentee ill never use this app. Not worth sacrificing all the benefits i get from the firmware i currently have. if i need to voice chat, discord will be my go to until nintendo gets off there lazy butts and builds it into the switch itself like every other console.
what ever happened to being able to upload Smash Bros replays to the app?
its completely useless for me now cause my device only goes up to ios 9.3.5
Only thing it has going for it is splatnet. Definitely a cool feature, too bad the rest is useless. I'd say just make splatnet a separate app. Kill the rest of the app, no one uses this to chat, and if there are people that do so, I'd say no more than 1% - 2% as it's literally easier to just use my phone to call my friends and put them on speakerphone than use this app.
I tried to use the VC once on the App for Splatoon 2 and it was awful. Never fired it up ever again, me and my buddies just use discord or even ps4 voice chat while playing Switch games since we all have both systems. I adore Nintendo but damn are they still so archaic with their online functionality. Really frustrating
@Bustacap Man that sucks, you might have to get a new Iphone soon
The phone was a mistake.
Nintendo online is the absolute least social gaming experience.
Mostly just feels like playing against bots with lag but for 25 a year.
What a load of rubbish, I can't belive its getting 5 star reviews on the App Store.
New Nintendo Life article is out, still mostly useless.
Seriously, thanks for that non-information.
@jockmahon I know right? Like I guess Nintendo isn't losing that much money over it but if they are going to have so much shovelware on the eShop they should at least make it easier to find good games.
I deleted that nonsense long ago as it literally has no purpose, I just wish somebody at Nintendo would buy a PS4/Xbox or even PS3/360 to see how the rest of the world handles online
"Useless" is a really harsh title. But hey, let's all perpetuate the "NSO SUCKS LOL! Basic features! LOL!" meme.
@MS7000 completely missed that and just did a search! Apparently they said it was coming in 2019, so it can be anytime between now and the end of the year.
Sad that it feels like the Wii had more features by the end of it's life than what the Switch will ever get.
Nintendo don't need to force things like voice chat into the OS, they could just make them optional apps that could be downloaded from the eShop.
There's a switch online service? I thought they shut it down in September last year.
Even the concept is nonsense. So no way of "fixing" it
I do not know anyone who runs Discord on their phone while they play PC games. It runs on the PC... So you can get all the audio.
Fix the Switch and put this in the hardware like every other platform for the past decade.
I have the app downloaded...I use it for Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
To quote Officer Barbrady: "Move along, people! Nothing to see here!"
Really though, I only used it like 1 or 2 times. And that's solely to see my Splatoon 2 stats. Had to get rid of it on my phone because I rarely used the app and so I can save space. Not a very good app, honestly... though I never tried its voice chat.
The best update would be discontinued. Use a headset like in warframe and fortnite in everygame!
Hopefully the rumoured Switch Pro includes on-console voice chat.
I like that you acknowledged that this idea has potential. When they first announced the voice chat through the app idea, I thought it could work. The issue is how awfully it’s been supported. If they find a way to “pipe” game audio through the app or at least sell an inexpensive (like $10) splitter for phone and Switch, then open up free communication (party chat, messaging, etc.) to Switch friends (outside any specific game sub app), features like scheduling play sessions and notifications when a friend is online, and finally add more features in the game specific apps it really could be better than built in voice chat in a lot of ways.
I have yet to use it. I fired it up this morning and I doubt I'll be using it anytime soon.
Should just call it the Splatoon Online Mobile app. I have no idea why you’d use it outside of that. Without exaggeration, I've probably used the Switch Parental Control app 10x as much.
I only use it for voice chat with randoms on ARMS.
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