NTT DoCoMo hints consoles with built in 3G

NTT DoCoMo president Ryuji Yamada today hinted strongly that Nintendo, Sony or both were in talks to add 3G data to their handheld game systems [reg. required]. Although he declined to name companies, Yamada confirmed that "various players" were talking about adding cellular access. He implied that it come either through an internal connection or through a 3G-to-Wi-Fi router like Novatel's MiFi.

Little doubt exists that at least Nintendo or Sony is involved as the two have virtually complete control of the dedicated handheld gaming market. Nintendo's 3DS may be the foremost candidate as its Internet access has been changed to allow passive background downloads that would be well-suited to an always-on 3G connection. The company's 3DS development manager Hideki Konno admitted at E3 to the WSJ that there would "probably be discussions" but didn't want to provide extra detail. Nintendo's president, Satoru Iwata, floated the idea last year.

It's unknown if any company could offer the access with lifetime access already factored into the initial price. Unlike the Kindle, which can justify 'free' access because of the light demands of e-books, gaming and media sharing would likely command a higher price that could need a subscription.

The addition of 3G could be an important catalyst for either the 3DS or a future PSP revision, as the existing Nintendo and Sony devices are rapidly losing sales. Either platform is hurt by the now six-year-old hardware inside but also by a design that considered online use secondary at best, even with upgraded models last year. Apple is regularly cited as eating into those sales and has the advantage of a handheld OS designed from the start for Internet access as a major component.

By Electronista Staff