DS To Get Non-Gaming Application Software

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said that the company will add new, practical functionality to the DS next year.

Iwata didn't get into specifics, but he did say that the new functions will be useful in places such as train stations, amusement parks and museums, and that they will use the DS's wireless functionality.

"This is the first device that is portable and wireless and anybody can use. And with so many devices out there, it would be wasteful to not turn it into a tool", Iwata said to the Wall Street Journal.

The move may reflect a desire on Nintendo's part to compete with Sony and the PSP. A host of new, non-gaming applications have emerged for Sony's handheld over the last year, including satellite navigation and an online phone service.

The DS is already used in some Japanese museums to dish out information to visitors, but Nintendo obviously plans to crank it up a notch.

The new applications will be rolled out in Japan before hitting the rest of the world. Iwata also mentioned that the Wii's online functionality will be expanded, with Japan getting online TV listings and the ability to send downloaded games as gifts.

^{Source: MCV}