Feature: Upgrade Coming for Nintendo Switch?

Nintendo has a long history of half-step iterations with its handheld devices; the Game Boy line received multiple iterations in terms of the Game Boy Colour and Pocket. The Game Boy Advance, which was only on the market for around four years before the Nintendo DS released, also had two revisions in its short lifespan - the Game Boy Advance SP and the Game Boy Micro. The Nintendo DS also had a further two revisions from its base model, the DS Lite and the DSi (including the DSi XL). Furthermore, the Nintendo DS' successor, the Nintendo 3DS, has also seen multiple size and hardware specific revisions, including the 2DS and New Nintendo 3DS models. It appears that with each hardware revision, Nintendo has improved the quality of the screens, such as adding a brighter display or improving upon its portability. Some consoles themselves have exclusive features, whether that's being able to play the games in colour or exclusive titles not available on the base model.

While Nintendo has a long history of revising its handheld line of systems, the same could not be said for its home console market, at least in the West. Each Nintendo home console has had some sort of additional hardware, which has helped boost the base model, whether it's the Famicom's Disk System, the Satellaview, the N64 DD or the Q version of the GameCube. The opposite could be said for the Wii, as the system was actually stripped back of its features, with later models of the Wii not being backwards compatible with the GameCube and with the Wii mini not even having any Internet connectivity. Where, then, does this leave the Nintendo Switch?

Rumours have circulated that the Switch will have a much more powerful CPU, 4K display, and a larger internal hard drive, but could there be any truth to that? Looking backwards, Nintendo often revises its consoles to not only generate further sales but to also improve upon its profit margins - essentially selling the public the same piece of hardware in a new skin that might just improve some aspects of gameplay. Examples of this can be shown with Wii, which is essentially just an overclocked GameCube, or with the New Nintendo 3DS, which essentially didn't do much other than adding on a C-Stick. With that in mind, then, what is likely to come to the Nintendo Switch?

The Switch will most likely receive a hardware update at some point in its lifecycle, with other console makers taking Apple's approach of half-steps with the Xbox One S, Xbox One X, and PS4 Pro, as prime examples. Here is where things will most likely be improved upon;

Increased Memory Storage - up from its current 32GB model to 64GB, this is likely as memory is becoming cheaper and file sizes are getting much larger. However, don't put it past Nintendo to still short-change its customers by not putting in 128GB or 256GB as standard.

Wireless Headphone Support - there are various speculative reasons why Bluetooth headphone support has not yet been made available, but this is surely a no-brainer going forward, just as long as it's not in lieu of the headphone jack.

A Stronger Kickstand - the current kickstand for tabletop mode is weak, off balance, and somewhat unnerving to use. Surely, a better placed kickstand or a solution that is sturdier would be involved for its successor.

USB-C Port Moved - the current charging port is a little flawed for those who want to play in tabletop mode and charge the unit. A new official accessory has been recently released to help rectify this, though, so it is unlikely Nintendo would offer a solution to this.

Improved Docking - many Switch owners have complained of their units being scratched during the docking process; whether or not these are isolated incidents, Nintendo may look to improve the dock itself or ensure that other measures are in place to make sure this doesn't happen again.

The following is highly unlikely, as it would push the price of components up, therefore, costing Nintendo more and as a result it would make less money per unit sold. However, these additions would be gladly accepted by Nintendo fans to vastly improve the Switch experience;

1080p Display - if Nintendo is looking to get a better margin, then it is unlikely that an improved display would ever happen. Even if a 1080p display was affordable, it would also need to improve upon its other internal specs to ensure that it could output smoothly. Some have previously speculated that Nintendo will re-enter the VR race and, if so, then a 1080p or a 4K display would be paramount for such a venture. If a 1080p or 4K display was on its way, then expect…

A Larger Power Source - for prolonged battery life, although perhaps only slightly improving on its current 4310 mAh lithium-ion cell. Powering a 720p display on a high-intense game only delivers approximately three-hours of gameplay, so the battery size would most likely need to double in size; furthermore, it would also need…

Improved Ventilation - during the summer of 2018, many Switch owners complained of warped or burned out Nintendo Switch systems, which had overheated while docked. While these are most likely isolated incidents, it would be in the Big N's interest to ensure that no more Switch consoles meet their end due to overheating.