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Nintendo Switch will upgrade to a multi-touch display, reports says

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Following up on Nintendo’s recent showcase of its upcoming Nintendo Switch console, Eurogamer reports the platform will include a capacitive multi-touch display, marking a significant leap forward from the company’s traditional, resistive touchscreen technology.

Citing “a number of sources,” including several who confirmed the system’s physical design and detachable controllers prior to its official unveiling, Eurogamer claims the Nintendo Switch’s 6.2-inch display maxes out at a 720p resolution, giving fans an early idea of the hardware’s capabilities.

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The switch to multi-touch display technology is a first for Nintendo, as all of the company’s touchscreen-driven consoles have used resistive displays to date. Nintendo first tackled touchscreen-controlled gaming with the launch of its Nintendo DS portable in 2004 and similar display technology was featured in the later Nintendo 3DS, 3DS XL, and New 3DS handhelds.

Nintendo continued to use resistive display technology for its recent Wii U console, which employs a unique GamePad controller that houses an embedded touchscreen. Many fans questioned the company’s decision to stick with older touchscreen tech for its tablet-sized console controller, given that iOS and Android mobile devices had long since adopted multi-touch technology.

Unlike resistive touchscreens, capacitive touchscreens support multiple simultaneous inputs, enabling features like multi-touch gestures. Nintendo’s traditional, resistive touchscreen technology is limited to a single pressure-based input and requires the use of a stylus for accuracy and consistency.

A stylus-free future is a leap forward for Nintendo, as much of the company’s handheld output over the past decade focuses on touch-driven input. If the Nintendo Switch hits retail with its reported multi-touch display, gamers can expect to see gameplay refinements that build on the type of touchscreen interactions featured in legacy Nintendo 3DS and Wii U releases.

In the wake of Nintendo’s recent Switch trailer, new rumors have emerged suggesting the console will feature scroll-wheel shoulder buttons, a visual projector, an infrared pointer, among other innovations. To date, Nintendo has not commented on speculation regarding the Nintendo Switch’s hardware capabilities.

Nintendo will reveal the Nintendo Switch’s pricing and release date on January 12.

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