Nintendo Reportedly Plans Smaller and Cheaper Switch For This Year (engadget.com)

According to a report from Nikkei, Nintendo is developing a smaller and cheaper version of the Switch focused on portability, and without some of the features in the original console. "A rumor in October suggested Nintendo was developing a new Switch, but instead of improving on the existing model, it's just as likely the company is looking for ways to streamline the system," notes Engadget. From the report: As Ars Technica speculates, the console's plastic dock could be the first thing to go. It's available separately for $90, and there are also cheaper ways to get your Switch to output to a TV (it's relying on a USB-C connection, after all). Nintendo could conceivably move towards a smaller and cheaper screen, and potentially even make the controller a physical part of the console, instead of the removable Joy-Cons. It also wouldn't be out of character for Nintendo to break existing functionality with a console revamp -- the 2DS was a cheaper spin on the 3DS that was still very playable without 3D.

Comments

Nickeling and Diming

[DrYak]

Looks like a way for Nintendo to actually increase profits :

The base "Switch Lite" will be cheaper, but :

  - The whole raison d'être of the Nintendo Switch and its success is the ability to seamlessly switch from portable console on the move to big screen in your living room.
  - So you'll buy a separate Nintendo-branded official dock (because their USB-C connector isn't 100% standard-compliant, and some of the cheap 3rd party accessory don't actually work perfectly).
  - So you'll buy a separate controller for the big screen mode if the "Switch Lite" doesn't have detachable controller. (Other wise you'll have to use the whole console tethered to the big TV screen as a giant controller, in the style of SEGA Nomad). And you can bet that Nintendo will find a way to have you buy preferably Nintendo-branded joycons, instead of any random Bluetooth controller. (e.g.: the proprietary gyro and accelerometers and other extra that a joycon has in addition to any no-name asian bluetooth gamepad)

etc.

  - Of course all of the above will come with an extra "Nintendo tax" in the price.
Because Shareholders/Profits/Why not.

(me ? sorry, but I'm already more than happy with my Pi).