Looks like Apple is hiring a bunch of people from the health/fitness fields and work on an "iWatch" which has biometric sensors:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=760769

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/01/30/apple-iwatch-masimo/

"Reports have suggested that Apple's smart watch project, the iWatch, could focus heavily on health sensors and biometrics, possibly including features like a pedometer and a heart rate monitor. Apple's multitude of hires in the health field does suggest, however, that the company could include even more advanced sensor technology in the iWatch or in a future product. 

With the addition of O'Reilly, Apple has now hired employees with expertise in pulse oximetry, vasculature visualization (vein finding), non-invasive glucose monitoring, blood chemistry monitoring via microneedle, heart/breath rate monitoring, and fitness. Notably, several hires have also had experience with low-profile, non-invasive biosensor devices. "

Not sure if this field is really going to be the blue ocean Nintendo thinks. It's not a bad play I guess to liberate ideas like Wii Fit/Brain Training from being tied to a hardware platform if casuals don't want to buy an entire game platform just to have those experiences, but if Apple is in the mix, honestly I can't imagine Nintendo being able to compete. 

What's supposed to be the hook here? That Nintendo's version is non-wearable? Doesn't seem like a very compelling difference to me. 

Did you not follow CES? Everyone and their mother are releasing their own smart wearable devices and activity meters.

I actually haven't followed CES in a long time, lol. I do remember the days where CES was where the game industry went for their shows (before E3 started in 1995 or so). 

no it's not a "blue ocean" and smartphones have an inherent advantage there aswell (just like with casual photography, casual gaming and so on), as people carry them around all the time anyway

Yeah it seems to me like the idea of a non-wearable sensor type device is actually less practical than a wearable or smartphone linked sensor. A senior citizen is better off with a watch/sensor that's always on their wrist rather than having to get up and walk into their bedroom or something to "check in" with Nintendo's non-wearable sensor or whatever. 

I'm more gadget freak than hardcore gamer, so it's fun to see what stuff is new.

They said 2015? Let's wait and see how these things catch on, but I agree that Nintendo is going to be a bit late on this.
Either way, I still bought their Fit Meter because it was cheap.

Maybe Nintendo's QoL "platform" is a device that's aimed at "putting a smile" a senior citizen's face each day? I remember seeing a program where a young woman brought music from the 1920s/30s to an old man in an old folks home who was blind and basically just sat around all day doing nothing, and instantly after listening to the music his brain activity increased dramatically.

Japan has a huge senior population, probably a lot of folkes who'd like to have something that would occupy their grandparents for an hour or two a day I suppose. 

Iwata said about QOL products:

"There are many players in this market, but Nintendo is one of the few that make both hardware and software, offer and deliver propositions to people throughout the world, and make people enjoy and continue playing with them, so we think we have a great deal of possibilities ahead of us. I am not planning to announce any specific themes today, but to give you a hint, “non-wearable” does not necessarily mean it is something that will be used in the living room."

(http://gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=221588)


Probably some fitness (game) arcade machines they sell to fitness centres.
Something like this …
 http://promoteyournovel.com/wii/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/wii_fit_plus4.jpg
On an treadmill for instance.
That would make the most sense to me at least.