Nintendo unveils new “wireless device,” but is it connected to Switch 2?

What is this new device? (Nintendo/FCC)

While the world awaits the unveiling of the Switch 2, Nintendo has submitted plans for a mysterious new device that features a motion sensor.

Rumors and leaks about Nintendo’s next console have increased significantly in recent weeks, suggesting that some sort of reveal could happen soon.

Nintendo has announced that it will unveil the successor to the Switch before April 2025, but between Apparently leaked prototypes and various insider hints suggest that we will hear something before the end of the year. Maybe even within the next few weeks.

Amid all this speculation, Nintendo has submitted a mysterious new device to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – and it’s definitely not the next Switch.

There is no clear indication of what device it actually is, as Nintendo’s application comes with a confidentiality request that will be kept for the next 180 days (until the end of March 2025). This is because Nintendo claims it contains “technical information that we consider to be trade secrets and proprietary.”

Still, there are some details in the documents. It’s listed as a “wireless device” — not a console or controller — and has a square shape with rounded corners when viewed from below. It’s also powered by a USB-C connection and doesn’t have a battery.

While this could suggest that it’s a peripheral of some sort (especially since the allegedly leaked Switch 2 prototype features USB-C ports), the device’s model number (CLO-001) indicates that it’s an entirely new product line that’s completely unrelated to any other hardware.

Nintendo Switch console — It is not a Joy-Con (Nintendo)

For comparison, the original Switch has the code HAC-001, while all peripherals have the same prefix with a higher number. For example, the dock is HAC-007, while the Pro Controller is HAC-013.

So if it’s nothing like the next Switch, what is it? The most notable detail is that it features a 24GHz mmWave sensor, which is typically used in smart devices to detect the presence or movement of people in a room, whether to monitor activity or enable air gestures.

This could refer to several things, from some kind of gesture control for use in an upcoming game to sleep tracking in the style of Pokémon Sleep to something related to AR functionality like in Mario Kart Live: Home Track.

During the GameCube and Wii eras, it was common practice for Nintendo to release customized, low-cost peripherals for specific games, including everything from pedometers to microphones and unique controllers.

For now, we’ll just have to wait until the NDA expires (or Nintendo decides to announce it beforehand) to get actual confirmation.

While it’s unclear whether Nintendo will announce its next console in 2024, the Switch lineup for this year may be strong enough without it – with Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom, Super Mario Party Jamboree, and Mario & Luigi: Brothership.