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Switch will not have an Internet browser (at least at launch)

I honestly did not know people use the internet browsers on their consoles really. Every time I have opened the one on the PS4 has been by accident.

That's not the case in this thread.

In this thread, there is a lot of.p, "It's a tablet," "Every other console has it!", "It's $300," etc, with a few specific uses cases of a browser on a console sprinkled in.
 
I don't mind this news since they say that it'll come later. As long as they dont take long to do it then its fine by me. I'll just use the thing to play games in the meantime. And its not like I don't already have enough access to a web browser. Although I really did get a lot of use out of the Wii U's web browser.
 
I never really understood the point of a browser on consoles other than for a company to just say "we have it". It seems completly needless, especially nowadays whern you have your mobile phone, tablets, PC, all of which provides better functionality for a browser than a console would.

No Netflix is inexcusable however.
This is almost like saying so what if Nintendo doesn't have AAA third party games, many people already have PS4 and Xbox One...which is the entire problem with Nintendo consoles. :-(
 
So are people mad there's no browser, or mad it's unhackable without one?
Did Nintendo claim they removed basic features to make it unhackable?
Because damn thats a leap. Not only does removing software not mean its unhackable, as bizarre as it may sound, people can expect things you find on a tablet to be found on a tablet without secretly being pirates
 
I never really understood the point of a browser on consoles other than for a company to just say "we have it". It seems completly needless, especially nowadays whern you have your mobile phone, tablets, PC, all of which provides better functionality for a browser than a console would.

I agree. I get that this is something that has become "expected" but I've never actually liked using internet browser on my game consoles or even my 3DS.
 
Once again, I'll ask...who's posting in this thread from their console browsers???

Does your current console Internet browser get any use?

We're all posting right now on GAF so I'm presuming we all have other devices available to us to browse the Internet.

So...no big deal.

Real talk, I use to use the Wii Browser a ton and even used the Wii U Browser a lot. Make no mistake about it, Wii U's browser was exceptionally fast for a console browser and was real nice.
 
Not surprised, though still baffling.

No third-party video apps, or even a web browser at launch, for a portable console designed to look like a tablet. Even though these are features that are widely used on tablets, and are usually available right off the bat.

But I'm sure this will be yet another "non-issue" to be added to the already-stacked pile.
 
This is almost like saying so what if Nintendo doesn't have AAA third party games, many people already have PS4 and Xbox One...which is the entire problem with Nintendo consoles. :-(

Since a browser has nothing to do with it's functionality as a video game console...

No, that statement is nothing like that.
 
If it had a browser I'd probably never use it. If it takes up resources then they are better used elsewhere.
 
Fine by me. Last time I used a console web browser was the Wii when I was a teenager, and that was because I didn't have a laptop, and my desktop was in another room
 
Not surprised, though still baffling.

No third-party video apps, or even a web browser at launch, for a portable console designed to look like a tablet. Even though these are features that are widely used on tablets, available right off the bat.

But I'm sure this will be yet another "non-issue" to be added to the already-stacked pile.

If this was a real issue that effected anyone during the launch period, there likely would have been some announcement about it before now.

They don't care.
 
I don't get why Nintendo doesn't try to position it as an alternative to tablets/phablets. I know that they can't win this market but if they had at launch some of the key apps and games and of course a browser, wouldn't this make it an easier choice, especially for parents? They could buy a console and a tablet for their kids.

Personally I m thinking to buy a tablet but I can't really justify it, but if the switch had some important features and apps it could add a lot more value to my preorder.
 
I don't get why Nintendo doesn't try to position it as an alternative to tablets/phablets. I know that they can't win this market but if they had at launch some of the key apps and games and of course a browser, wouldn't this make it an easier, hoice, especially for parents? They could buy a console and a tablet for their kids.

Personally I m thinking to buy a tablet but I can't really justify it, but if the switch had some important features and apps it could add a lot more value to my preorder.

Would you want your kids to have an internet browser?
 
Did Nintendo claim they removed basic features to make it unhackable?
Because damn thats a leap. Not only does removing software not mean its unhackable, as bizarre as it may sound, people can expect things you find on a tablet to be found on a tablet without secretly being pirates

I'm trying to figure out where this expectation came from. From that conference? Because there would have been something if they had anything. But they don't and they never planned to have anything.

We already know the basic functionality of the Nintendo Switch. You can play games on it and you can post screenshots that you've taken on Twitter and Facebook. Done.

Again, was there something I missed?
 
They might just forgo the web browser entirely for security reasons. The Vita, 3DS, and WiiU all have web browser based hacks that led to piracy and homebrew. Everyone has a web browser on their phone which is always connected to the Internet anyway and 10 million other wifi devices with web browsers. Still no excuse for not having media apps like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, and Amazon Prime.
 
Since a browser has nothing to do with it's functionality as a video game console...

No, that statement is nothing like that.
Video game consoles are also media centers as well since the PS2/Xbox era. Having a browser makes it easier to watch videos on websites on your TV especially if you don't have another device for that purpose (e.g. Roku, chromecast). A lot of people buy consoles because they double as media centers. If I'm in the market for a console, why buy a Switch over a PS4 when I can use the PS4 as both a console and media center?
 
I don't get why Nintendo doesn't try to position it as an alternative to tablets/phablets. I know that they can't win this market but if they had at launch some of the key apps and games and of course a browser, wouldn't this make it an easier choice, especially for parents? They could buy a console and a tablet for their kids.

Personally I m thinking to buy a tablet but I can't really justify it, but if the switch had some important features and apps it could add a lot more value to my preorder.

There is no way you would be happy with a Switch as a replacement for a tablet. You would be better off buying a $50 Amazon fire. You won't be able to use a Switch with reading apps, all the different video apps and music apps, banking apps documents, photos, etc and various freebie games that come out that catch GAF's attention.
 
I never really understood the point of a browser on consoles other than for a company to just say "we have it". It seems completly needless, especially nowadays whern you have your mobile phone, tablets, PC, all of which provides better functionality for a browser than a console would.

No Netflix is inexcusable however.

Connecting to public WIFI is a big one.

I don't get why Nintendo doesn't try to position it as an alternative to tablets/phablets. I know that they can't win this market but if they had at launch some of the key apps and games and of course a browser, wouldn't this make it an easier choice, especially for parents? They could buy a console and a tablet for their kids.

Personally I m thinking to buy a tablet but I can't really justify it, but if the switch had some important features and apps it could add a lot more value to my preorder.

Because Switch can't hold its own next to any feature that makes an iPad great. Nintendo's doing right with positioning this so clearly as a gaming device.
 
Video game consoles are also media centers as well since the PS2/Xbox era. Having a browser makes it easier to watch videos on websites on your TV especially if you don't have another device for that purpose (e.g. Roku, chromecast). A lot of people buy consoles because they double as media centers. If I'm in the market for a console, why buy a Switch over a PS4 when I can use the PS4 as both a console and media center?

Can you pick up the PS4 and take it out of the house?

Do most people even still use video game consoles as media hubs? Are there any statistics to back that up? That's something that Sony and Microsoft push because they make money off those things, but that doesn't mean that most consumers are using or are even considering those functions.
 
Video game consoles are also media centers as well since the PS2/Xbox era. Having a browser makes it easier to watch videos on websites on your TV especially if you don't have another device for that purpose (e.g. Roku, chromecast). A lot of people buy consoles because they double as media centers. If I'm in the market for a console, why buy a Switch over a PS4 when I can use the PS4 as both a console and media center?
Is that really true in 2017? It certainly was with PS2 and its DVD player, and I'm sure there's some now, but I really don't know if I'd say it's "a lot". I'd argue the opposite, myself, but I'm honestly asking that question. We've even seen Microsoft completely shift its marketing focus on the Xbox One from heavy on the multimedia stuff pretty much solely to games.
 
Would you want your kids to have an internet browser?

I don't know I think most of them they already have, at their phone,pc, tablet. Or at least they have access to an Internet browser.
And at least from what we saw Nintendo could have some pretty good and easy parental controls
 
Who uses the browse on their console anyway? I used the Wii U's once just to check it out.

It will probably come later. Security is a huge thing to get right and a browser is an easy way to find exploits.
 
I don't see the point to even trip about something that's guaranteed to be on the console later. I probably won't use it much like I didn't with the Wii U's or 3DS. I have my phone to do all that and most cases a consoles browser isn't that fast compared to a being on a computer or phone.
 
Can you pick up the PS4 and take it out of the house?

Do most people even still use video game consoles as media hubs? Are there any statistics to back that up? That's something that Sony and Microsoft push because they make money off those things, but that doesn't mean that most consumers are using or are even considering those functions.

This is anecdotal of course but all of the people I know who own consoles who I wouldn't describe as "gamers" still have their PS3s or Xbox360s hooked up to their TVs to use for Netflix.
 
I don't get why Nintendo doesn't try to position it as an alternative to tablets/phablets. I know that they can't win this market but if they had at launch some of the key apps and games and of course a browser, wouldn't this make it an easier choice, especially for parents? They could buy a console and a tablet for their kids.

Personally I m thinking to buy a tablet but I can't really justify it, but if the switch had some important features and apps it could add a lot more value to my preorder.

Full stop: They aren't trying to sell the first batch of consoles to kids. If an adult is buying a $300 tablet for their child to play video games on, that child probably doesn't need the tablet functions.

To answer your first question, they tried on the Wii U. Nobody cared. It's actually very, very, very hard to create and establish something like that.
 
If this was a real issue that effected anyone during the launch period, there likely would have been some announcement about it before now.

They don't care.

Yeah, that's the sentiment I've gotten about a lot things they've handled with the Switch as a whole.

As someone put it earlier in the thread, it's not a huge deal, just a small disappointment. Which leads to the question of how many small disappointments can fly, given the (lack of) information we know about the Switch so far.
 
Let's say I'm at home and I'm needing to get on the Internet. Wouldn't my Switch be at the bottom tier of devices I'd be using to do so? Why wouldn't I use a desktop, a laptop, a tablet, or a smartphone?

I don't get this at all. Is a console not having an Internet browser truly a deal-breaker for some players? In 2017?

No, seriously--I'm asking the question in expectation of a serious answer.
 
Why are they rushing this thing out instead of waiting for the holiday season? Nothing is even finished
 
Let's say I'm at home and I'm needing to get on the Internet. Wouldn't my Switch be at the bottom tier of devices I'd be using to do so? Why wouldn't I use a desktop, a laptop, a tablet, or a smartphone?

I don't get this at all. Is a console not having an Internet browser truly a deal-breaker for some players? In 2017?

No, seriously--I'm asking the question in expectation of a serious answer.

I don't need it. I'm still not over Nintendo not bringing Miiverse over though. I want that sense of community and connectedness on Switch.
 
I think one thing to also keep in mind is that this isn't just a gaming console, it's essentially a 720p IPS tablet which would be great for browsing on the go.
 
Because Switch can't hold its own next to any feature that makes an iPad great. Nintendo's doing right with positioning this so clearly as a gaming device.

I m not saying that it could stand against a real tablet but it could add some value and again especially for parents that they want a tablet for their kids to play some games and watch some YouTube videos it would an easier choice.
If they choose switch they would buy a console and a tablet for at least the basics, just like PS and Xbox they add some value with blue Ray playback, even if you can buy a decent one dedicated player with 60-70€ maybe even less.
 
Let's say I'm at home and I'm needing to get on the Internet. Wouldn't my Switch be at the bottom tier of devices I'd be using to do so? Why wouldn't I use a desktop, a laptop, a tablet, or a smartphone?

I don't get this at all. Is a console not having an Internet browser truly a deal-breaker for some players? In 2017?

No, seriously--I'm asking the question in expectation of a serious answer.

Can you not see the benefit of having a good browser attached to your TV for streaming purposes?
 
Let's say I'm at home and I'm needing to get on the Internet. Wouldn't my Switch be at the bottom tier of devices I'd be using to do so? Why wouldn't I use a desktop, a laptop, a tablet, or a smartphone?

I don't get this at all. Is a console not having an Internet browser truly a deal-breaker for some players? In 2017?

No, seriously--I'm asking the question in expectation of a serious answer.
Really out there concept but imagine that you are using the Nintendo Switch in its undocked mode. Suddenly you feel like checking out Twitter to see what is up with a screenshot you shared online using the built in functionality of the system. Do you want to fetch another device to complete this simple task or do you want to just open up a web browser application on the device you are currently using?

If you were playing a game on your tablet or your PC would you really want to swap to another device just to access an internet browser?
 
If Nintendo partnered with Amazon.com to make a device it would have everything and be named the Swindle.
 
True. The Wii U was a very efficient YouTube/Tv replays box.

The Wii U also had a great little feature in the browser in which it would automatically fill the search box with the game you are currently playing incase you need help. It was objectively more efficient than having to use a separate device.

With a laptop or tablet sitting right there beside me? I guess not.

Okay? But can you not see why other people like to stream from a console attached to a TV?
 
It's not a big deal but would come in handy at times. I never thought I would even use edge browser on Xbox one but the past two weeks it's come in handy from watching sports to anime.

Not sure why this thread is 18 pages
 
Really out there concept but imagine that you are using the Nintendo Switch in its undocked mode. Suddenly you feel like checking out Twitter to see what is up with a screenshot you shared online using the built in functionality of the system. Do you want to fetch another device to complete this simple task or do you want to just open up a web browser application on the device you are currently using?

If you were playing a game on your tablet or your PC would you really want to swap to another device just to access an internet browser?

Checking Twitter doesn't mandate a browser. There's APIs for that, though we don't know if you'll be able to look at the things you've shared on the device yet to know that those have been taken advantage of.
 
Really out there concept but imagine that you are using the Nintendo Switch in its undocked mode. Suddenly you feel like checking out Twitter to see what is up with a screenshot you shared online using the built in functionality of the system. Do you want to fetch another device to complete this simple task or do you want to just open up a web browser application on the device you are currently using?

If you were playing a game on your tablet or your PC would you really want to swap to another device just to access an internet browser?

In the first case: Maybe?

In the second case: I question the validity of the equivalency here because PCs and tablets are clearly intended to be multi-function devices with an assumption that just about every user is going to be using the device for regular Internet access. I question whether video game consoles fall into this same category.
 
Not sure why this thread is 18 pages
It's the latest example of a missing feature for a console that releases in less than a month. It's just the avalanche effect. If we get news that VC will be missing at launch or severely gutted, you can expect that that thread will be even longer.
 
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