SWITCH Rumor Round-up

[JEMC]

These two bits were one a mostly confirmed rumor, and the other some hard info:

AMD could power yet another gaming device – chief financial officer

http://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/anton-shilov/amd-could-power-yet-another-gaming-device-chief-financial-officer/

December 10th, 2014

An accelerated processing unit from Advanced Micro Devices could power yet another gaming device, chief financial officer of the company implied this week. The high-ranking executive did not provide any details, but given the revenue opportunities the company outlined with the deal several weeks ago, we are talking about a high-volume device.

AMD announced two new semi-custom design wins back in October. The design wins are expected to bring the company combined total lifetime revenue of approximately $1 billion over approximately three years starting 2016. Previously the company revealed that both semi-custom chips would integrate Radeon graphics, one would be based on ARM architecture, whereas another one would feature x86 general-purpose cores. Apparently, one of the semi-custom APUs is projected to power a “beyond gaming device”, which means that another will power a device that could fit into the “gaming” category, something AMD denied previously.

 

I think that a device that goes "beyond gaming" is something that fits nicely with Nintendo. And it also points to a 2016 release.

 

Macronix Will Be Providing Memory Products for the NX-Reiterates that the platform will be launching this year

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/01/macronix_will_be_providing_memory_products_for_the_nx

January 29, 2016

Macronix is an international tech company that primarily focuses on 'Non-Volatile Memory' such as ROM and Flash. Evidently, the company has a history with Nintendo's portable line of products, having produced memory hardware for DS and 3DS game cartridges. At a recent quarterly results conference call, CY Lu – the company's president – announced that the company will be providing products to the NX and that the console will be launching this year. Here's a translation of the information, courtesy of a NeoGAF member:

Prestigious Japanese videogame console maker Nintendo will launch a new console called NX this year. General Manager of Macronix, CY Lu, said Macronix will provide products for NX and that Macronix has considerable expectations to NX.

In the afternoon, Macronix had held an online conference for investors. As Nintendo is going to launch new console NX this year, investors concern about if Macronix, which have a long-term cooperative relationship with Nintendo, is still part of NX's supply chain.

CY Lu said Macronix will supply memory slots for NX, and that the company has considerable expectation to NX.

Even though CY Lu declined to comment whether the supplied products are ROM, he said he expects ROM sales this year will be exceptional.

 

This pretty much confirms a 2016 release (for those who still doubt it). What this does not confirm or deny is if NX will have an optical drive or use cards, as Macronix does the DS/3DS cards but also provides the flash memory of Wii U.