The first Nintendo Switch was released back in 2017, and it would be four years later before the console handheld hybrid got an OLED model. As for the Switch 2, this was launched last year, but it looks like the Mario Maker is already considering giving it an OLED upgrade. Of course, “considering” is the operative word here, and if things go through, it may be another two years before they physically manifest.
ZDNET Korea cites an industry insider as making the claim. The source also added that if Nintendo intends to go ahead with a Switch 2 OLED, then product development will start as soon as at the end of this year. If all goes according to plan after that, then mass production would follow, starting as soon as by the end of 2027, or early 2028. Even if this happens in 2028, it would be a three-year gap between the LCD and OLED model, a year sooner than the first generation Switch.
The report cites a second source who claims that while Nintendo is considering upgrading the Switch 2 screen from LCD to OLED, the price difference between the two is one of the factors holding the company back. It makes sense; after all, with component prices, especially memory-related ones, on the rise, manufacturers would want to keep production costs down elsewhere. A third source corroborates the claim, adding that the OLED panels would be supplied by Samsung Display.
All that being said, the existence of a Nintendo Switch 2 OLED would mirror the progress made by the first generation device somewhat. So far though, the possibility of a Switch 2 Lite has not been mentioned, and it remains to be seen if such a thing will exist. Considering the size difference between the two generations of devices though, there will likely have to be some major concessions for a Lite model of the Switch 2 to be made, even if those compromises are worth it.
(Source: ZDNET Korea)
