Submit a news tip



Ko Shiota

switch oled audio speakers

One of the biggest selling points of the new Switch model is its bigger OLED screen, but it also has other improvements such as a change in its speakers and audio.

According to Nintendo’s Toru Yamashita, the company went with closed-type speakers “where the sound quality and pressure can be increased thanks to the back of the speaker being sealed.” Such speakers “produce a clearer sound by preventing the collision of sound coming from the front and back.” There was a lot of work involved as Nintendo had less space to work with inside the console due to the bigger screen. Nintendo ultimately “needed to use the structure of the console and design a sealed space at the back ourselves.”

Below are the full comments from Yamashita as well as Nintendo’s Ko Shiota regarding the Switch OLED audio and speakers:

switch oled weight

Out of all Switch models thus far, the new OLED version has the highest weight – but not by much. The console comes in at .93 pounds. That’s in comparison to the regular Switch at .88 pounds and the Switch Lite at .61 pounds.

According to Nintendo, one reason for the weight increase in the Switch OLED model is due to a change from plastic to metal for the kickstand. However, the company’s Ko Shiota said the team “scaled down in other places”, which means that there isn’t a massive change.

Shiota said the following regarding the Switch OLED and its weigh:

switch oled screen size

Nintendo’s new Switch OLED model increases the system’s screen size. Rather than 6.2 inches, it’s now at 7 inches. That may not seem much, but it does make quite a bit of difference, and offering a larger screen wasn’t an easy task.

Ko Shiota, the head of the Technology Development Division, as well as Toru Yamashita of the Technology Development Department, discussed the Switch OLED screen size increase and the challenges involved as part of an interview published by Nintendo today. Yamashita pointed out that the difficulty came from “trying to increase the screen size while maintaining the console’s size and product strength.”

Yamashita and Shiota stated:

We’ve seen the original Switch, the Switch Lite, and now the Switch OLED. Everyone will be able to pick up the system as of tomorrow, October 8.

In an official interview published by Nintendo today, key developers behind the console spoke about the console’s origins. Ko Shiota, the head of the Technology Development Division, as well as Toru Yamashita of the Technology Development Department both weighed in.

Here’s what the two shared:

Despite the prominence of Switch over the past year, Nintendo has continued to say that the 3DS isn’t going anywhere. The dedicated portable will still be sold in the future. This is something Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima reiterated during the company’s latest financial results briefing.

Kimishima’s remark came in response to a question about a successor to the 3DS. Senior executive officer Ko Shiota weighed in on this as well, and spoke about technology in general, indicating that Nintendo is considering various possibilities.

During the Q&A section of its latest financial results briefing, Nintendo was asked about the design concept for Switch’s Joy-Con. Senior executive officer Ko Shiota, managing executive officer Shinya Takahashi, and Shigeru Miyamoto all weighed in on this.

Shiota said that the “Joy-Con was designed from the start of development as a device that could have a variety of uses besides being a game controller, including the possibility of attachment to something else for play.” Nintendo also thought about the Joy-Con could be used by setting it in an attachment. Takahashi later added that Nintendo “considered play using just the hardware and software, as well as play in combination with other things.”

Nintendo Switch

During the Q&A portion of Nintendo’s latest financial results briefing, the company was asked about any issues / risk factors now that weren’t considered before launch. This prompted managing executive officer Shinya Takahashi, senior executive officer Ko Shiota, and Shigeru Miyamoto to talk about the need to increase the appeal of Switch to all age groups, regardless of gender.

Miyamoto commented on this as well, and said something interesting. Nintendo wants each individual person to own a Switch as opposed to every family in general.

Nintendo surprised everyone last month with the announcement of Nintendo Labo last month. Going after kids and kids at heart, Nintendo Labo will allow Switch owners to make creations out of cardboard and then use them with compatible applications / mini-games.

Using cardboard may have seemed out of left field, but it ended up being a natural fit. Nintendo commented on the entire Nintendo Labo project including the reception and the decision to feature cardboard.

Here’s what was shared:


Manage Cookie Settings