Report: Nintendo Switch WILL Feature a Touchscreen

Nintendo’s next-generation video gaming system will reportedly feature a touchscreen interface. When speaking at a press event in Tokyo, Japan earlier this month, the company confirmed a long-standing rumor surrounding its upcoming “Switch” console: the system will support touchscreen input through a touchscreen display.

There’s been some talk about the Nintendo Switch featuring a touchscreen interface for quite some time now. Blogs, news websites, forums and other sources have theorized about this feature. Up until now, however, there’s been no official confirmation, leaving many people to wonder if Nintendo really would include a touchscreen interface in its Switch device. It appears the answer to that question is yes, as Nintendo officials confirmed a touchscreen display in its upcoming Switch.

The Nintendo Switch will feature a 6.2 capacitive touchscreen display with a 1280 x 720 maximum resolution. Furthermore, it will support multi-touch functions, meaning users can operate the device by pressing two or more fingers simultaneously against the display. A common example of multi-touch functionality is pinch-to-zoom. Available in most modern smartphones, pinch-to-zoom is a feature in which you can magnify part or all of the display by pinching it with two fingers. Alternatively, you can pinch your fingers outward to zoom back out. It’s unknown if the Nintendo Switch will feature pinch-to-zoom, but we do know that it will support multi-touch input.

As mentioned above, the Nintendo Switch features capacitive touch-sensing technology. Not to be confused with its resistive counterpart, capacitive touchscreens recognize touch via the electrical charge produced by the operator. When you touch your finger against a capacitive display, a small but noticeable electrical charge is transferred from your body to the display. The device recognizes touch-based input by measuring this electrical charge.

Of course, Nintendo also revealed some other interesting specifications of its new Switch system. The Switch, for instance, can be operated either in handheld or dock mode, the latter of which increases its power and rendering abilities up to 1080p definition.

So, how much will the Nintendo Switch cost and when can you buy it? According to the company, the Nintendo Switch will be released on Mach 3, with a retail price of $299. It’s important to note that it will be sold in two variants. One variant will feature a gray Joy-Con controller, while the other will feature a neon red and blue controller. Both variants are expected to sell for $299.