Exclusive | Apple’s Nintendo Switch-Style Hybrid Game Console Is Coming, Along with Major Apple TV Redesign

Apple Nintendo Switch Style Gaming Console in the Works Credit: Wachiwit / Shutterstock
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Apple introduced the Apple TV in 2006 originally as iTV, but due to iTV being a European news agency, Apple was sued and renamed the device Apple TV. The original design was innovative for its time, and I have to admit it’s one of the best designs Apple has ever done. In my opinion, its current design is outdated and bulky. Luckily, I have good news.

Apple is going to do to the next Apple TV what it’s also doing to the Mac mini. The upcoming Mac mini will look like the original Apple TV from 2006 in its updated design.

Apple is on a trend of implementing the famed flat-edge design that was iconic with the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5. In April 2021, Apple redesigned the Siri Remote with the new design trend. It reminds me of the original Apple TV remote mixed with an original iPod Shuffle. The set-top box remained the same, but received an A12 Bionic as well as high-resolution HDR.

Now what didn’t happen, was an Apple TV gaming edition with an A14, which sadly never came to light. It’s actually a separate device. More on that later.

Apple TV Redesign

  1. This new box will match up with the new Siri Remote, with sharp edges like the iPhone 13, iPad Pro, and iMac.
  2. The box will feature a plexiglass top and be flatter and thinner than the current clunky box.

You might ask why it took Apple this long to finally want to update the Apple TV? Most people also wonder why it took Apple nine years to redesign the iPad mini, why the iPod is now getting revamped, and why did Apple make the bezels white on the iMac? Apple is one of the companies that make certain design changes for a very specific reason. I am totally ready for this new physical change since it will match the Siri Remote and the latest design trend that Apple is going for.

I do not know if they will add fun colors to it like they have done the iPad Air and AirPods Max, but it will have the same dual-tone design as the new Mac mini and look similar to its original counterpart – just smaller and have that futuristic design language. So who’s to say they won’t add the new color scheme to the new Apple TV.

Apple’s Nintendo Switch-Style Gaming Console

Now about that previously rumored A14 Apple TV – which is actually the upcoming gaming console that will rival the Nintendo Switch.

New info that I have sourced is saying Apple is working on “their take of a premium hybrid gaming console” and that “games rivaling Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey” are almost ready to go.

There was some information a few years back that Apple has invested in gaming studios working on a Zelda-like game, so with this info, I really do think Apple is about to shock this industry.

With this new hybrid device, it turns my attention to a patent that was posted in 2019 that appeared to show Apple working on a Joy-Con-like device.

There were also tweets posted by reputable leakers saying, “you’ll see either in 2020 or 2021.” This makes me think due to COVID-19, Apple may have put a hold on it. But I was told there is still a chance of this being released soon. I’m hoping we are right as this is an important product for Apple.

Does this gaming console compare to the Xbox or PlayStation? If this is a question that comes to mind, the answer will be no.

From a design standpoint, it’s a hybrid, meaning a portable and a home console, so that’s why this will directly compete with Nintendo, not Sony or Microsoft.

Secondly, with the device having Apple Silicon inside, this chip will outperform anything that Microsoft or Sony offers in 2021.

Thirdly, it will not be a Pro device; Apple targets this upcoming hybrid console at a more fun demographic. Nintendo’s strategy is the same exact way, and they’ve sold about 90M units of the Switch, which makes them the #1 game console in 2021. Apple wants to appeal to that market in order to cut the Switch’s market share.

In addition, it will also benefit Apple’s Mixed Reality Headset and Apple Arcade with more exclusive titles just for this device. Apple will also give the device a spectrum of colors.

Will this gaming console fail like the Bandai-Pippin? With what Apple is appealing to this time, and the hybrid premium design that will come, as well as fun colors, I would say no. The iPod was so special among teenagers back in the 2000s because it was personal, and the color you chose made it more individual to you. The iPhone, iPad Air, AirPods Max, and even iMacs have this same sense of strategy in 2021, which is part of the reason why Apple is #1 in all of these respective markets.

Bringing their own gaming console to take the industry by storm is Apple’s goal here. This will definitely appeal to Gen Z and Millennial markets, and if you know Apple, they know that kids are the best markets to tap into.

How Much Will Apple’s Game Console Cost?

When Apple’s console does release, I wouldn’t be surprised if costs somewhere between $449-$549 due to a more premium design. Even with the hefty price point, they will likely sell out once the innovative features become apparent with this device.

Let me know in the comments what you think about this information. Would you buy a redesigned Apple TV or an Apple hybrid gaming console, even if you have a Nintendo Switch?

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]

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