The Nintendo Switch turns four years old this month, with the smaller, portable only Switch Lite enjoying its two year anniversary. This year would be a good time for a new Switch release, and Bloomberg is reporting that Nintendo is working on a new Switch with a bigger display and 4K support when docked. Switch XL? Switch Pro?
According to Bloomberg, Nintendo will announce a new Switch model with a 7-inch Samsung OLED screen (as oppose to LCD). The original Switch screen is 6.2 inches, while the Switch Lite is 5.5 inches. The portable Switch would retain the 720p resolution, but when docked would be able to support up to 4K resolution with compatible TVs. An OLED screen would also be more battery efficient – one of the biggest complaints of the original Switch model.
The Switch is getting on in years but still selling incredibly well, including a hugely popular holiday season in 2020, when it sold over 11 million consoles.
As of December 31, 2o20, the Switch has sold nearly 80 million units, making it Nintendo’s fast-selling console, and currently second best-selling home console after the Nintendo Wii (101 million), and just behind lifetime sales of the Xbox 360 (84 million), both of which recorded lifetime sales for well over 10 years.
The Switch’s biggest software releases this year include Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, Bravely Default 2, Monster Hunter Rise, New Pokémon Snap, Mario Golf, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
