A new patent suggests Nintendo has a solution for the ‘troublesome’ Switch cable setup through a new ‘swivel block’ attachment. While rumours around the Switch 2 have focused on the expected upgrades in power and screen size , it’s widely assumed that its form factor will be relatively similar to the current console. In the original Switch models, the cables from the AC Adapter, HDMI, and LAN ports all come out the same backend gap in the dock – so depending on the position of your TV’s ports, there might be some inconvenient faff in setting the Switch up and having it face the right way. A new patent dated April 2, 2024 looks to alleviate the issue with a new rotating input/output panel, so you can position the dock’s ports on either side of the console. Described by Nintendo as a ‘swivel block’, the patent shows how the new panel can switch left to right, with two USB ports located on the opposite side. On the current Switch, these are positioned on the front exterior of the dock, so this would allow you to switch those around too. In the patent’s description (as posted on Reddit by shadeOfAwave), Nintendo even describes it as solving a ‘troublesome’ issue regarding cable positioning. ‘If a connector for connection to a television receiver or other video display device is fixed to a specific position of the outer circumference of the device holder, there is a possibility that the operation for laying the cables to be connected to this connector will be troublesome,’ the patent background reads. It’s important to note, however, that many patents are filed which don’t end up being used. If this one does though, it seems peculiar that Nintendo would update the current Switch model this late in its life cycle, so this is perhaps more likely to feature in the next console.
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Android - April 2024 round-up So far, Nintendo has announced nothing about its next console. Rumours suggest it will feature an 8-inch LCD screen, be backwards compatible , and that it might be only an ‘iterative’ improvement over the original Switch – which this patent certainly seems to imply. Don’t expect the Switch successor to arrive this year though. Many sources have claimed Nintendo has pushed back the console’s launch to 2025 , to bolster its launch line-up, which might include a new 3D Mario or the next Mario Kart . Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk , leave a comment below, follow us on
Twitter , and sign-up to our newsletter . MORE : EA dodge question about Nintendo Switch 2: ‘new platforms are good for us’ MORE : Nintendo Switch 2 may have a dual screen you can split in half suggests patent MORE : Nintendo Switch 2 button layout theory seems to prove backwards compatibility Follow Metro Gaming on Twitter and email us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here . For more stories like this, check our Gaming page . Sign up to all the exclusive gaming content, latest releases before they're seen on the site.