You Can Now Use the Nintendo Switch Voice Chat App While in Other Apps or When iPhone is Locked

[MacRumors]

Ahead of the Nintendo Direct coming this afternoon, Nintendo recently updated its Switch Online voice chat iOS app with a few useful tweaks to the way the software handles chatting online with friends. Prior to the update, you had to keep the app open at all times to hear and be heard by your friends while playing games like Splatoon 2.

Now, Nintendo explains in the app's update notes that you can both browse to other iPhone apps and lock the device, and voice chat will continue to function in the background through the Nintendo Switch Online app.

The expanded functionality of voice chat should greatly enhance the usefulness of Nintendo's app and online services, which will turn into a monthly paid subscription sometime in 2018. Pricing and tiers include $3.99/month, $7.99/3 months, and $19.99/year.

The app first launched on July 18, a few days ahead of Splatoon 2's debut, allowing gamers to visit SplatNet 2 on their iOS device to look at previous match statistics, check out current stages in rotation, and invite friends to Private Battles on the Switch console. Nintendo's upcoming 45-minute Direct will begin this afternoon at 3 p.m PT and plans to focus on games coming to Switch and 3DS consoles.

Article Link: You Can Now Use the Nintendo Switch Voice Chat App While in Other Apps or When iPhone is Locked

 

[LordQ]

Wondering if we'll hear about new games for iOS this Nintendo Direct.

 

[earthTOmitchel]

Wondering if we'll hear about new games for iOS this Nintendo Direct.

I REALLY hope so, if Animal Crossing is still coming this year, they have to talk about it pretty soon. 45 minutes gives them a fair bit of time to include non-Switch and 3DS stuff.

 

[attohs]

Wondering if we'll hear about new games for iOS this Nintendo Direct.

Nope. The Japanese Nintendo Direct website already confirmed smartphone content will not be discussed.


From the site:

※スマートフォン向けアプリに関する新しい情報は含まれておりません。

"New information on applications for smartphones is not included."

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/nintendo_direct/20170914/

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Wondering if we'll hear about new games for iOS this Nintendo Direct.

I think Apple and Nintendo would both prefer to do that at an Apple event (such as yesterday's.)

Apple would much rather present a game from Nintendo running on their device then the crap they normally show (such as Sky yesterday.) There's few games that even exist in Nintendo's league, and obviously nothing is above it.

And Nintendo would probably rather present a new game for iOS at a venue full of iOS users rather than in a venue full of Nintendo fans. Nintendo views iOS games as a way of introducing people to Nintendo - they want to turn them into people who buy Nintendo consoles. People watching Nintendo Direct already own Nintendo consoles - getting them to use Nintendo iOS games isn't a goal - the goal is to get them to buy more Nintendo games on Nintendo consoles (or buy the other Nintendo console, if they only have one... IE, Nintendo wants to sell me a 3DS, and I'm sure there's plenty of 3DS owners they want to sell a Switch to... although I can't see anything a 3DS does that a Switch can't...)

 

[69Mustang]

I'd be really hard pressed to find a more poorly implemented voice application than Nintendo's. It's one of the biggest disappointments about the Switch.

 

[macduke]

As much as I like my Switch, it's crap like this that reminds me that Nintendo is still Nintendo and often well behind the curve in stupid areas. Another example? No bluetooth on the Switch, even though we're heading into a world of wireless-only communications.

Anyway, I don't see the benefit to using this over something like Discord.

 

[attohs]

No bluetooth on the Switch.

The Joy-Cons and the Pro Controller connect to the Switch using Bluetooth. I wish Switch allowed me to use my AirPods, but it doesn't allow Bluetooth audio devices. Hopefully this changes with a software update.

 

[macduke]

The Joy-Cons and the Pro Controller connect to the Switch using Bluetooth. I wish Switch allowed me to use my AirPods, but it doesn't allow Bluetooth audio devices. Hopefully this changes with a software update.

I should have been more specific.

 

[ck2875]

What drives me mental is the name of the app under the icon is still "NintendoSwitc..."

 

[shareef777]

I'd be really hard pressed to find a more poorly implemented voice application than Nintendo's. It's one of the biggest disappointments about the Switch.

As weak as the device is compared to even last years mobile phones, the game content sold me on it. But this lackluster approach to voice just sold me on selling my unit. Mind numbing a company of Nintendo's size chose that approach. Entire departments should be fired for such a move.

 

[M.PaulCezanne]

The Switch design represents the kind of innovative thinking I wish Apple would get back to. Instead, they focus a tremendous amount of brainpower on animated emojis and better cameras to drive people to the apps that generate the most revenue (social media).

And then they charge $1,000 for it.