Nintendo has a new Switch console in the pipeline. According to Bloomberg, the device will boast a 7-inch screen that uses OLED display tech for the first time. The display will be made by Samsung, which also supplies screens for smartphones like the iPhone 12 and Galaxy S21.
It's hoped the new console will launch in time for Christmas in order to compete with the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Both Sony and Microsoft's consoles have been in short supply since launching at the end of 2020, though hopefully the supply issues should be sorted by this winter (here's where to buy a PS5, and where to buy an Xbox Series X, just in case you're still looking).
An OLED display would give the Switch higher contrast and better colour reproduction, as well as consuming less battery life. According to Bloomberg's sources, Nintendo will use rigid OLED panels which are cheaper but less flexible than those commonly found in high-end smartphones.
The 7-inch size would be bigger than the current Switch's 6.2-inch screen, and the Switch Lite's 5.5-inch display. According to the report, it will also be able to output 4K resolution when connected to a 4K TV.
Given the Switch launched over four years ago, it's arguably due a refresh. And, although the PS5 and Xbox Series X are much more powerful, Nintendo's console has continued to sell well even after all this time. We've even seen Switch stock shortages along the way.
Within a year of its launch, the Switch sold 14 million units, eclipsing the total lifetime sales of its predecessor, the Wii U. To date, the Switch and slimmed-down Switch Lite have sold more than 79 million units worldwide. And it looks like there's plenty of life in the old dog yet.
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