Today Nintendo announced its heavily rumored Nintendo Switch OLED Model, and it’s coming out this year and could be good for blind and low vision accessibility.
While it’s been notably rumored as the Nintendo Switch Pro, the official name of Nintendo’s next iteration of the handheld console is simply the Nintendo Switch OLED Model, and it’s going to be $349.99. In reality, the console itself is practically the same as the 2017 model but with a far bigger 7-inch screen that uses OLED tech which means that the Nintendo Switch OLED Model could be better for blind and low vision accessibility by simply being bigger and clearer.
The screen is said to be vibrant and brighter with crisp contrast. The original Switch has a screen size of 6.2-inches, so it’s not much different in terms of numbers, but it can make a difference for the user. The thinner bezel does mean that the screen uses more surface area so it should be nicer to look at without feeling like you’re staring into a box. The Nintendo Switch OLED Model also comes with a new stand that is less flimsy and wider, looking as if it’ll support tabletop settings more comfortably.
There are also some new speakers that apparently offer enhanced audio for handheld play, but specifics on how these are different from the original console are not known yet. The Nintendo Switch OLED Model doesn’t have much else in terms of accessibility, but it does come with a wired LAN port on the new dock, 64GB of internal storage, and it seems as if the original Switch peripherals will work with this console. It will also support your games still, so you’ll still be able to enjoy your games like Pikmin 3 Deluxe.
The Nintendo Switch OLED Model will launch on October 8, 2021, and will be available in white, or the classic neon red and blue. It’ll cost you $349.99.