Qualcomm is reportedly working on a portable Android game console that is similar to a Nintendo Switch, according to Android Police and XDAin editor-in-chief Mishaal Rahman. The device would be powered by Qualcomm silicon and could hit store shelves next year – if it turns out to be a real product.
According to the article, which cites images seen by Android Police, the device would feature detachable Joy-Con controllers, an SD card slot, Android 12 and (of course) 5G. Also observed, and corroborated by Rahman, is a huge 6,000 mAh battery. Although the physical dimensions are unclear, Rahman tweeted that the screen could be 6.65 inches, with a resolution of at least 1080p (the Switch’s screen is 6.2 inches and runs at 720p). He also indicated that he could have a fan.
In other words, the device sounds like a big smartphone with connected controllers and active cooling, although that may not be a bad thing – the Switch also looks like a giant phone. But it also has a library of great games that only it can play, which is its biggest attraction. While there is an abundance of good gaming experiences on Android, from retro emulators to games like Fifteen days and Impact Genshin, Qualcomm would have to give customers a reason why they should play these games on a separate device, rather than on their Qualcomm Snapdragon gaming phones with integrated buttons or control accessories (or on their regular phones).
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Or, at least, one will try to sell the device to people – the Android Police The article indicates that Qualcomm wants it to be commercially available, potentially in retail carrier stores. He also says that the target price of the device is $ 300, the same as a full-size Switch. Currently, the cheapest phone I found with Qualcomm’s 888 processor, the Realme GT 5G, costs about $ 430 (and is only sold in China).
Yet, Rahman’s Notes that its source believed the product was closer to a reference design than something it would see on store shelves. Chip manufacturers, including Qualcomm, often create sample devices to help other manufacturers design their SOCs or radios. Sometimes, these reference products end up being sold by other companies under different brands, known as whitelabeling.
It is important to note that the disagreement between the sources may be due to Qualcomm’s own uncertainties – AP believes that this project is almost a year away from completion, so the company is not yet sure what it will become.
Whether the device ends up as a product or not (it can easily be canceled before making a public appearance), it looks like Qualcomm is actually designing and building a dedicated Android gaming device. It is understandable why the company would be keeping an eye on the handheld games market: it has been heating up since the idea of the Nvidia handheld shield became the Nintendo Switch, with high-powered gaming phones, Windows PCs with form factors similar to those of the Switch and a variety of mods, classic handheld redesigns and innovative pocket game systems.