New Nintendo Switch model could launch in 2019

Nintendo has a long legacy of tweaking the hardware of its consoles, from all the aesthetic changes it made to the Game Boy to the reconfiguration of the Wii, and it seems that the Switch will be no different. 

According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, an updated version of the Nintendo Switch could hit stores in 2019, in a bid to “maintain the sales momentum of the device”, citing "suppliers and others with direct knowledge of the plan".

So far details of the update are few and far between, although the WSJ suggests that the screen could be upgraded from the dated LCD manufacturing process, which could mean better resolution for your games (at least when in handheld mode).

Switch goes online

If the Switch is to follow in the footsteps of previous Nintendo consoles like the 3DS, it’s unlikely that any upgrade will significantly change its abilities (unlike the upgraded Xbox One X and PS4 Pro), so if you’re considering buying a Switch in the near future, it probably isn’t worth waiting until the end of 2019 to buy the rumored newer model. 

At this stage details about any updates to the processing power are scarce, however, users have cited issues with battery longevity in the past, so a new model of the popular Nintendo console will likely seek to improve its longevity. 

Either way, with the recent launch of Nintendo Switch Online, it looks as though the handheld device is set to only grow in popularity over a year after its launch. 

Via Ars Technica

Olivia Tambini

Olivia was previously TechRadar's Senior Editor - Home Entertainment, covering everything from headphones to TVs. Based in London, she's a popular music graduate who worked in the music industry before finding her calling in journalism. She's previously been interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject of multi-room audio, chaired panel discussions on diversity in music festival lineups, and her bylines include T3, Stereoboard, What to Watch, Top Ten Reviews, Creative Bloq, and Croco Magazine. Olivia now has a career in PR.