The DSi Isn't Competing with Cell Phones or the iPod, Says Nintendo

Handheld gaming has seen a massive surge in popularity and profitability in recent times, as more and more companies are starting to see the importance that mobile gaming has with most people. But while the dedicated portable consoles like the DS or PSP are holding their own, cell phones and most importantly Apple's dual threat, the iPhone and the iPod, are slowly but surely gaining ground.

But as soon as Nintendo announced that the newest iteration in the DS series of portable devices, the DSi, would sport music playback capabilities and two cameras, a lot of people began to think that the Japanese company wanted to take its very successful console into an even broader audience than before, and taking the fight to the cell phone manufacturers.

But such a thing isn't Nintendo's strategy, at least according to the president of the company, Satoru Iwata, who revealed that the so-called rivalry between his corporation and Apple was just something that the media created. He also stated that the new features of the DSi were just something to help out people even more, and he didn't want to replace their cell phones or music players with it.

“Nintendo doesn't have any intention of directly competing with existing products, but the mass media has a tendency to portray everything as a rivalry between opposing companies. It seems some people have the impression that we want to compete with cell phones or the iPod, that putting cameras or music players in our devices is out of character for us. I hope those who have such an impression will take an interest in what Nintendo can make when it dedicates itself to pleasing as many people as possible who pick up a DS, and I hope they'll actually pick one up themselves.”

So there you have it, it seems that Nintendo isn't worried with going into an even bigger audience and is quite content with the DS just how it is. Also, the fact that the DS is experiencing a huge momentum in sales ever since its release doesn't hurt either, so if it isn't broke, Nintendo won't fix it anytime soon.