Topic: Nintendo Says No to 3DSPhone

[MaryJane]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/mobile/04/01/nintendo.phone/index.html?hpt=Sbin


qfta:

We have no desire to get into telephony," Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said. "We believe that we will earn our way into someone's pocket without having to offer that (phone capability) as an additional factor.

Nintendo isn't completely discounting the idea, but the high costs involved in cellular carrier partnerships are a roadblock, said Hideki Konno, a top Nintendo producer. "It's not that I'm uninterested," Konno said through a translator. "However, I look at the business model, and I see so many additional costs that come into play." Splitting revenue with cell operators would affect the retail price of games, he said. "Would we increase the price of the software itself?" Konno asked. "The distribution couldn't be free."

While Apple has had significant success with the iPhone, some of its mobile-platform adoption has been driven by the iPod Touch, a phone-less entertainment device. And Samsung Electronics is releasing a similar handheld media player, called the Galaxy Player, in the U.S. in the next few months. Nintendo recently has begun heavily criticizing the sprouting smartphone-games industry. Executives said the app-store model degrades the quality of games and isn't sustainable. "We don't want to be in the phone business," Fils-Aime said. "We don't see that as an opportunity. Phones are utilities. Phones are not by definition entertainment devices." Even so, Nintendo has been thinking about phones for at least a decade. It filed a patent for a game-playing cell phone in 2001. "It makes sense to enter a market when you feel you've got some sort of competitive advantage," Fils-Aime said. "From Nintendo's perspective, we don't see that we have a competitive advantage in telephony."

Sony's new nonphone PlayStation gadget, which is scheduled to debut this year, will be able to connect to cell data networks for online play and accessing downloads. Fils-Aime from Nintendo did not discount the idea that a Nintendo system might adopt this strategy at some point and highlighted the relationship his company has with AT&T. Owners of the 3DS will receive free access to AT&T's public Wi-Fi hot spots in the U.S., starting in May.

Classic Nintendo. First they say gamers don't want to play games on the internet, now they say phones aren't entertainment devices.

Another thing I don't understand is them saying they have no competitive advantage in releasing a phone, but I did I miss something? Is this not Nintendo who for years and years dominated both the console and handheld arena, and is poised to retake the console crown? The strength of their name and reputation should be their competitive advantage, along with a unique phone.

The one thing I do understand is them not wanting to split their profits. They make a lot of money, and they don't want to mess with that, but then why not release two devices. One that has simple calling features accessible with a headset, and one that is WiFi only. They could kill four birds with two stones, by biting into Apple's market, testing the waters of a phone, positioning themselves into a better bargaining position with wireless carriers should the 3DSPhone be successful, and making money the tried and true way all the while.

I don't know, I guess I'll be satisfied if Nintendo can keep making DSs and games, but I would hate for them to go the way of the dinosaur, just because they think like one.

[Oblivion]

Just because they don't want to make a phone doesn't mean they'll completely fail and become old news. Not every single electronics company in the world has to have some kind of phone to beat Apple. Hell, Nintendo is a VIDEO GAME company, not a tech company like Sony or Microsoft or (gasp!) Apple.

[Stogi]

This talk of a phone is way way too early. When I brought up this point in that other thread, I was thinking at least 10 years into the future.

[BlackNMild2k1]

This talk of a phone is way way too early. When I brought up this point in that other thread, I was thinking at least 10 years into the future.

Same here. Of course they are gonna deny a 3DSPhone, especially if they aren't releasing one soon. Why make everyone want to wait for something that they have no plans of releasing anytime soon? Nintendo won't move into the phone capable market until they are forced to cross that line. It is far too early for that, but hopefully if that day comes, they won't be a day late and a dollar short.

[MaryJane]

This talk of a phone is way way too early. When I brought up this point in that other thread, I was thinking at least 10 years into the future.

Same here. Of course they are gonna deny a 3DSPhone, especially if they aren't releasing one soon. Why make everyone want to wait for something that they have no plans of releasing anytime soon? Nintendo won't move into the phone capable market until they are forced to cross that line. It is far too early for that, but hopefully if that day comes, they won't be a day late and a dollar short.

If they only used the quotes from Konno I would agree, but Reggie outright said that they have no interest in a phone. And I know that not every company needs to make a phone, but not every company NEEDS to put WiFi in their devices; we've just reached a point where it's become an expected addition...

[BlackNMild2k1]

Reggie has no say on the course of hardware development and I would be surprised to find out he even has knowledge of the things cooking deep in the Nintendo Labs at all outside of vague projections of when the next thing is coming.

And Nintendo might not necessarily make a phone in the future, but may put a 4G antennae in the next DS iteration instead making it a phone capable device. with a 4G antennae they could just use skype or Google Voice and bypass an actual vice plan all together. The only drawback is still the same though, and that would be the monthly access fee.

Either way that idea is at minimum 4-5 years away, so I doubt Reggie would know if it was in discussions with the Top Brass back in Japan or not.

[leahsdad]

You know what, I'm 32, married, with 2 kids, and I think because of this state of affairs I sort of agree with the progenitor of this thread.  A part of me would love, love, love a Nintendo phone.  It would be easier to carry around, it would be in my pocket all the time, and best of all, I don't have to feel that "oh, you're a gamer..." shame that I imagine when I pull out my DS in public.  I sort of avoid doing it in places where I know people (like outside PTA meetings, for example) because I would assuredly get some strange looks from the parents of other kids.  But if I had a Nintendo phone, I can ape all those plucky Iphone users and say "Oh, no, I wasn't playing a game.  I was just checking my text messages.  Yeah, that's it.  Text messages."  And my wife wouldn't give me that knowing smile when I slip my DS into my messenger bag when I go to work, like "oh, so that's what you do all day when I'm taking care of the kids."


But then, there's the Nintendo fan in me who knows that it would be a sad sad world where Nintendo has truly transformed from a pure game company to another generic entertainment/communication device company.  It would mean that outside pressure from Apple has reached a tipping point, sales of Nintendo products have tanked, and things are desperate.  I would imagine that it would take a failure in both handheld and console sales for something like that to come about, and I'd imagine the games would also suffer.

[Kytim89]

If Nintendo does not want the 3DS to be a phone, then perhaps a Skype system for online multiplayer.

[Razorkid]

I'm happy Nintendo is not making a phone.  For one, the market is wicked crowded and outside of offering Nintendo software, what can they do to differentiate themselves from their competitors right now? Nothing.  In the meantime, they have to contend with creating a system that has actual controls yet maintain small form factor and good useability as a phone, a version of the system that does not need a phone carrier to play (I've always hated day one multi sku systems), and an ecosystem that allows even more garbage onto their platform than what currently is possible (anybody getting into the phone business today and does not follow Apple's App store model is dead in the water).


Too risky, too redundant in todays market, and requires too much experimentation and cost for a primarily video game software driven company.  I can certainly see the appeal of a Nintendo phone, but I'm perfectly fine carrying around both my iPhone and 3DS.  They aren't the size of cell phones in the 80's 

[MaryJane]

I don't understand why people are so hung about Nintendo making a phone. Nintendo does not need to make a phone, they just simply need to put a phone inside the 3DS. They're already selling 3DSs, why not add a phone for those who want it? Carriers pay the difference between the actual cost and subsidized cost, so I'm not even sure what revenue they would splitting. If it's the data plan, that a source of revenue Nintendo currently doesn't have.

[DAaaMan64]

Now Nintendo fail-yor is complete.

If Nintendo will not the 3DS a phone... then perhaps a Skype will...

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LIGHTSABER

[leahsdad]

an ecosystem that allows even more garbage onto their platform than what currently is possible (anybody getting into the phone business today and does not follow Apple's App store model is dead in the water).

I don't know just how important the app store is.  I'm sure it makes Apple a lot of money, and helps convince techies and gamers to buy Iphones, but techies and gamers are an awfully tiny portion of U.S. consumers.   Does the average person buy an Iphone because they want to play Angry Birds on the go, or do they buy one because Iphones are status symbols, make you look successful or important, and "hey you can download an app, well I guess I'll try that it's just 99 cents."

Case in point, via opposites:  I've been carrying around my 3DS all the time not just to play games, but also to take 3D pictures, which as a parent of 2 girls I tend to do a lot.  I was on a field trip last week with my oldest daughter, and one of the other parents, the only dad who's as young as me (32), says "Hey, I didn't know you could buy a DS with a camera now.  That's pretty cool."  Oh yes.  This guy knows what a DS is, but not a DSi.

Another horrifying story:  I'm taking pictures of my daughter at her preschool's easter egg hunt today, and a bunch of the other parents are curious about this funny looking camera I've got.  So I explain that it's 3D without glasses, show them a bunch of photos I took in 3D, show them how to watch with the sweet spot, etc..  They are amazed.  Then one of the parents, some doctor, says "OH, that's a game, isn't it?"  Pointing at my 3DS.  In a very, very disappointed, disapproving tone of voice. 

So, to sum up?  If I had a Nintendo phone, other adults would point at me and say "ooh, he likes games."  If I had an Iphone, they'd say "Wow, you must be important or rich.  Or both."

Please, please don't make phones Nintendo.