Report: Nintendo's DSi Getting Larger Screen

Nintendo is upgrading the current DSi screens to 4-inches, but only in Japan.

For handheld console fans, the hottest news hitting the Internet last night and this morning are alleged reports of a larger screen coming to the Nintendo DSi. The current device features two 3.25-inch screens, but somehow Nintendo will reportedly cram 4-inches of goodness into the current form.

But like the PSPgo, will a revamped model drive customers to store shelves? "A bigger screen alone does not count for much," said KBC Securities analyst Hiroshi Kamide. He also said that the hardware needs to be updated to put it on par with Sony's PSPgo and Apple's iPhone/iPod Touch even though the new screen will roughly match the competitor platforms.

The Nikkei Business Daily said that Nintendo plans to launch the 4-inch Nintendo DSi by the end of the year in Japan, with no additional information on when--or if for that matter--the resized model will make an appearance in the States. There's also talk about a model of the DSi that will incorporate "more robust" anti-piracy features for the Chinese and South Korean markets. This version is expected to hit retail shelves by the end of the corporate business year: March 2010.

The DSi model with the 4-inch screen is expected to retail for the same price as current models: 18900 Yen. Apparently, this model stems from feedback by Nintendo consumers, especially the older generation who are having problems gaming on a smaller screen.