The Nintendo Switch ( Lite ) is currently one of the most popular in manufacturing handheld gaming devices. Today, gaming devices are available in many shapes and sizes. This success has not gone unnoticed by other manufacturers, we recently reported on a Razer Gamepad with controllers on both sides of the screen. Earlier this year, LetsGoDigital discovered a Sharp folding gaming smartphone, this time the Japanese manufacturer has patented a gaming handheld.
Sharp game handheld with a removable controller
It concerns two patents that have been applied for by Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha at the JPO (Japan Patent Office). The patents also include different render images, which gives us a good idea of the possibilities of these handhelds.
Both designs show a tablet format screen. The device has a very thin design and is also completely bezel-less, or borderless. The unique feature of this mobile device is that a small part of the screen is removable. This then serves as a touch controller, on which a D-pad is shown on the left and four small control buttons on the right.
The shape of the game controller differs per patent. In the first design patent, a kind of bar design with straight lines was chosen. This variant will be the easiest to manufacture. With the second patent, around design was chosen on the side where the controller is attached to the screen.
However, the patent description’s usage of the round design is unclear. This may be given to prevent the controller from moving if it is attached to the screen. You regularly suffer from a shortcoming with the interchangeable Switch Joy-Con controllers’ rail system.
With mobile gaming, the comment is often made that you are missing a physical controller, which does not benefit the overall gaming experience. You will not be bothered by this extremely portable game console. Finally, you can just subtract a bit from the screen. Once you have finished gaming, you can attach the controller magnetically to the screen. The content shown on the screen will then continue as normal, giving you one large touch display.
Sharp has added various compact features that make the device comprehensive that will not let you miss physical buttons and joystick. Moreover, it is multifunctional, because in no time you can turn this gaming handheld into a large tablet. Ideal for watching a video or film via Netflix or Videoland.
It is possible that more smartphone functionalities will be accommodated in this handheld after all the company has all the necessary knowledge inhouse. Moreover, no game cartridge slot or the like is included in the design. This makes it plausible that this mobile device can be connected to the internet, making cloud gaming possible. Consider, for example, Google Stages.
Finally, Japanese manufacturers are doing particularly well in the gaming industry, think of Nintendo, but of course also Sony with its PlayStation. However, it is still unclear if Sharp intends to release this gaming handheld. We are curious as to what the Japanese will be able to show more innovations in the coming years.
As mentioned, the company has also shown its first foldable smartphone to the public. The company is ready to enter new markets with Foxconn as a new investor. This is how it started with the production of OLED displays, and it will also enter the system camera market. Sharp has had a turbulent time and even threatened to go bankrupt in 2016. Furthermore, the company has been active in the TV and mobile camera market for years.
