Nintendo's Wii U may not be selling as well as the company hoped, or even as well as the original Wii, but at least the company is still making money on its consoles.
Though the Wii U was technically the first next generation console to arrive on the market, it still has a long way to go in matching the various optional digital media provided by competitors like the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Despite the inclusion of Netflix and Hulu Plus as streaming entertainment providers, integration with Nintendo TVii (the real draw of those services on the Wii U) has yet to take hold.
Generally speaking, the Wii U has lagged far behind when it comes to apps, and consumers were dealt another disappointment this week when Nintendo delayed the integration of TiVo and Google Maps.
Same old song and dance
Delays aren't uncommon when launching new hardware, and consumers were pretty forgiving of Nintendo when the much ballyhooed Nintendo TVii missed the Wii U's launch.
Making matter worse though, when TVii finally did arrive in December, it lacked the Netflix and TiVo integration Nintendo said would make the software the go-to for living rooms around the world.
Even then, users didn't throw up their arms in exasperation, as Nintendo assured such functionality would arrive by the end of January.
Now, with January coming to a close, Nintendo has again changed its tune, claiming Netflix and TiVo shouldn't be expected in the U.S. until the ambiguous "early 2013." The company had specifically pegged Jan. 2013 as the release point for TiVo.
Wii U owners could have attempted to use Google Maps to find the missing apps, but surprise, surprise, that application was also met with a delay this week.
Where are the apps?
In early December, Nintendo announced plans for a Google Maps app that was built from the ground up to work specifically with the GamePad.
When zoomed into Street View, the accelerometer in the GamePad would allow users to view the surrounding area at a full 360 degrees.
Wednesday, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed Google Maps wouldn't arrive on time, and instead wouldn't be available until sometime during the first quarter of 2013.
Had Nintendo not predicted a January release for its Google Maps and TiVo integration, it's likely users wouldn't be all that upset neither option was available on the Wii U yet.
However, these delays are the latest in a growing list of missed promises when it comes to the Wii U.
With potential new consoles from Sony and Microsoft seemingly around the corner, Nintendo is fast running out of time to get its act together.
Via Engadget
