Nintendo Mulling Mobile Apps as Part of Recovery Plan

Nintendo is considering mobile apps as part of a way to spur recovery after a slump in Wii U sales — but that doesn't mean you'll be able to play Mario games on your smartphone anytime soon.

In a presentation to Nintendo investors on Wednesday, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said the company is looking to build relationships with its customers through "smart devices" instead of letting the customer relationship remain walled off on each console.

In the past, Nintendo's online IDs for customers have been limited to their consoles, such as the Wii, Wii U, 3DS or DS handhelds. Now, Iwata said, the company is trying to connect all the devices, as well as continue that relationship with consumers on their mobile devices. This cloud connection behind a unified identity is something that companies such as Microsoft, Sony and Apple have already figured out — so Nintendo is playing catch-up. Read more...