The Kindle, which downloads ebooks from Amazon, connects to local cell phone networks instead of using WiFi, which the DS uses.
"I'm interested because it's a new business model in which the user doesn't bear the communications cost," he told the Financial Times.
Unlike cell phone users, who pay a monthly fee to use 3G networks, the Kindle includes the lifetime costs of the connection in the retail price. Iwata specifically cited Apple, who allows users of the iPhone to download applications from their store, but requires them to have a data plan with a cellular provider to take the device online.
Including such a service would allow more consumers to access Nintendo's online store, the DSi Shop. Iwata acknowledged that such a move, while helpful to consumers without WiFi access, would increase the cost of any device. "Customers would complain about Nintendo putting prices up, but it is one option for the future," he said.
This all comes a week after Nintendo announced the DSi XL, a new version of the DSi featuring larger screens and targeted at older consumers.
DSiWare (and many retail) games aren't terribly large either. Low res 2D is pretty space efficient.
I think there is a HUGE difference in downloading an e-book (1-2mb?) and downloading games and online gaming/communication. I doubt any cell provider is gonna allow for lifetime bandwidth on a portable gaming device with the amount of bandwidth that might be necessary.
I don't see how that would work at all.
I would personally prefer that they not bother with this. I don't find using Wi-Fi to be a problem at all and if the cost of the hardware has to go up to accomodate this, well, then I'm just paying more for something I don't need or want. Thought that's just me and others might find this worth the money.
