A Nintendo Switch-like console is apparently in the works by American chip manufacturer Qualcomm. Sources familiar with the project detailed (and even showed) AndroidPolice the handheld console. It’s said to run on a Qualcomm processor (obliviously), aimed at handheld gaming, and equipped with detachable controllers.
Insiders: Qualcomm console in development
According to the source, the alleged Qualcomm console bears a lot of similarities to the Nintendo Switch. Apparently the main screen is around 6.65 inches, with detachable Joycon-like controllers on eihter side. Of course, you can dock the unnamed console in a docking station, which enables gaming on a TV.
Sources say that Qualcomm is focused on the handheld experience though. The console gets a large 6000 mAh battery (about 50% larger than the Nintendo Switch’), along with an SD card slot for expandable storage. Additionally, the medium says that the console gets Bluetooth, GPS, accelerometers, haptics feedback, and even 5G support.
Given that Qualcomm is a SoC-manufacturer (well known for their Snapdragon processors for most Android smartphones), it’s obvious the company would use one of their own chipsets in the mysterious gaming machine. Instead of a PC-architecture (like the Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo use), this console would lend it’s internal design from smartphones. As an accompanying advantage, SoC’s (system-on-a-chip) tend to use up less space, and are more energy efficient.
If Qualcomm is indeed working on a console, it shouldn’t be long before we hear more about it. According to the sources, the company plans the release of the console for the first quarter of 2022. They mention the surprisingly low price of $300. That places it right around the price mark of the Nintendo Switch. Whether Qualcomm can compete with the most popular console of the past 3 years is another story entirely.