New Operating System, a Switch program by Polish developer RedDeer Games, claims to transform Nintendo’s newest handheld system into a tablet that is roughly equivalent to a full-fledged tablet. The nOS app goes above and beyond even the most remarkable Switch UI makeover concepts now available by emphasizing the delivery of a highly customizable user experience with an abundance of app-like capabilities.
The Switch’s capacitive touchscreen isn’t exactly one of its most outdated features, but there aren’t many game makers who have made a commitment to using it. And throughout the past six years, Nintendo has shown little interest in supporting the creation of non-gaming applications for the Switch, despite the fact that it has a tablet-like form size and internals that are similar to those of an (older) Android device.
Enter the recently unveiled nOS, a somewhat modular piece of software that will let Nintendo Switch owners add a variety of tablet-like apps and functions to their portable consoles. The future software, code-named “Fuji,” includes a number of built-in features out of the box, including a calculator, notebook, day planner, to-do list, paint program, and a multimedia gallery. RedDeer Games’ nOS marketing materials even make mention of an in-app sliding puzzle game.
Reliable and Accessible Operating System for the Nintendo Switch
Reliability and accessibility, according to the Polish firm behind this project, were its top priorities while building the new software. Although nOS doesn’t yet have an official price, the utilitarian nature of its feature set seems to offer everything a $10 or $20 app needs.
Nintendo continues to deliver Switch firmware updates on a regular basis, but the majority of these upgrades only bring small modifications to the console’s operating system. Given the situation, anyone who is still hoping to use the Switch as a tablet would likely view the nOS app as their best chance to do so thus far.
Doubly so if user-friendliness is a factor. The Switch has been able to run Android for years owing to a thriving homebrew scene, but the proportion of customers willing to learn how to hack their consoles in order to convert them into budget tablets has never been particularly high. In addition, not all of the Switch’s hardware and firmware configurations can be compromised, and jailbreaking a Switch increases the chance of having one’s Nintendo Account suspended.
The Nintendo Switch will get New Operating System (nOS) sometime in January 2023.
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