MacworldEvery year, we are introduced to a new version of iOS (alongside Apples other operating systems) at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. It then marches through an extended beta-testing period before being released in September.But some of the key features of iOS are often planned to be introduced in subsequent updates. With iOS 18, the key Apple Intelligence feature didnt arrive until iOS 18.1, with additional AI features in iOS 18.2, with even more coming in iOS 18.4nearly half a year after the initial iOS 18 rollout.While Apple hasnt yet announced iOS 19, it has been hard at work on the big iPhone upgrade for quite a while and some rumors have started to leak out, and its starting to look like iOS 18 is somewhat of a preview of how iOS 19 will go. Based on the most reliable leaks and rumors, heres what you can expect when it arrives later this year.iOS 19: Release dateApple typically released the latest version of iOS to the public on the Monday following the iPhone launch event. Here are the release dates for the most recent versions of iOS:iOS 18: Monday, September 16, 2024iOS 17: Monday, September 18, 2023iOS 16: Monday, September 12, 2022iOS 15: Monday, September 20, 2021Based on recent history, we expect iOS 19 to release to the public on either Monday, September 15, or Monday, September 22.iOS 19: BetaEvery year, the new iOS is announced at WWDC with a beta test for developers released immediately (or at most, a day later). It often takes 4-6 weeks for the first public beta to be released, coinciding with the second or third build for developers. Apple releases the developer beta immediately after the WWDC keynote, which is expected to be on Monday, June 9.iOS 18: Monday, June 10, 2024iOS 17: Monday, June 5, 2023iOS 16: Monday, June 6, 2022iOS 15: Monday, June 7, 2021What follows is a string of beta releases, typically eight or so in total, before the software releases in September. We expect the same schedule this year with iOS 19. You can get ready for the beta by signing up for the iOS beta program now.iOS 19: CompatibilityWe expect iOS 19 to be compatible with every iPhone that supports iOS 18. That includes:iPhone 16iPhone 16 PlusiPhone 16 ProiPhone 16 Pro MaxiPhone 15iPhone 15 PlusiPhone 15 ProiPhone 15 Pro MaxiPhone 14iPhone 14 PlusiPhone 14 ProiPhone 14 Pro MaxiPhone 13iPhone 13 miniiPhone 13 ProiPhone 13 Pro MaxiPhone 12iPhone 12 miniiPhone 12 ProiPhone 12 Pro MaxiPhone 11iPhone 11 ProiPhone 11 Pro MaxiPhone XSiPhone XS MaxiPhone XRiPhone SE (2nd generation)Of course, it will also support the new iPhone 17 models that will launch around the same time, and the new iPhone SE 4 (which may be called the iPhone 16E).As always, some features wont be available on older models, as they lack the hardware resources for it. We do think the Apple Intelligence and Siri improvements will be available for all iPhone 16 and later models, though.iOS 19: New featuresMore Apple Intelligence with an LLM SiriThe most significant rumored change in iOS 19 so far is what some are calling an LLM (large language model) update to Siri.The idea is to make Siri truly conversational, much like the advanced voice mode on ChatGPT is today, but with the added advantage of having access to all the on-device data and history for your iPhone and Apple services.This would be combined with a further expansion of App Intents, which are hooks for developers to allow Siri to interact with and perform actions within their apps. These App Intents are getting a huge boost in iOS 18.4 to go along with Siris personal context update, and iOS 19 is said to expand the concept even further.One caveat: This next big evolution for Siri isnt expected to land until 2026, as part of an update to iOS 19. In other words, just as iOS 18.4 is the big Siri update for iOS 18, we can expect iOS 19.4 (or something like it) to be the big Siri update for iOS 19.Home app upgradesWhile not specifically mentioned in any of the current leaks or rumors, we find it hard to believe that Apple wont have some significant improvements to the Home app, HomeKit, and related services in iOS 19.Why? Well, Apple is expected to release a wave of new smart home products throughout 2025 and 2026. A new smart home hub is first: its an affordable 7-inch tablet that runs its own custom operating system (code-named Pebble) that has an interface similar to StandBy on iPhone. It will support Apple Intelligence, FaceTime, and tie in with other Apple services but isnt expected to have an App Store.After that, likely in 2026, Apple is said to be working on a new indoor smart security camera and a smart doorbell that would use Face ID to unlock your door the way it unlocks your phone. Further down the road, a smart home product with a movable screen on a robotic arm has been rumored, all of which will require deep integration with the iPhone and Home app.Its hard to imagine Apple pushing into first-party smart home products this much without updating the somewhat aging and clunky Home interface or introducing new features to it.

Nvidia unveiled a new platform at CES called Cosmos. Its a world foundation model (WFM) development platform designed to advance and accelerate Physical AI for robots and self-driving vehicles (which are also, in fact, robots).Understanding digital twins and physical AIIve written beforeabout Physical AI in general and Nvidias initiativesin that space specifically.The Physical AI concept involves creating complex virtual environments that simulate real-world physics, where digital replicas of robots and systems can learn and optimize their performance.For factory robots, as an example, an Omniverse customer would create a digital twin of the factory in a virtual reality space. Every detail of the factory floor would be replicated, with the distances between objects exactly the same as in the real, physical factory. Internet of Things (IoT) sensors in the real factory feed data into the twin, keeping it in an identical state.Crucially, the virtual twin in Omniverse is programmatically endowed with physics gravity, inertia, friction, and other physical qualities that are applied to anything happening in the twin. Companies can design, simulate, operate, and maintain their factories virtually through twins. And they can train robots and robotic systems in Omniverse.The newly announced Cosmos works in conjunction with and dramaticallyamplifies the ability of Omniverse robot training through the creation and use of World Foundation Models (WFMs).What in the world are World Foundation Models?If youre unfamiliar with the phrase World Foundation Models, that makes sense, because its pretty new and most likely coined by Nvidia. It conjoins the existing (but also recent) concepts of world models (AI systems that create internal representations of their environment to simulate and predict complex scenarios) and foundation models (AI systems trained on vast datasets that can be adapted for a wide range of tasks).According to Nvidia, WFMs are an easy way to generate massive amounts of photoreal, physics-basedartificial datafor training existing models or building custom models. Robot developers can add their own data, such as videos captured in their own factory, then let Cosmos multiply and expand the basic scenario with thousands more, giving robot programming the ability to choose the correct or best movements for the task at hand.The Cosmos platform includes generativeWFMs, advanced tokenizers, guardrails, and an accelerated video processing pipeline.Developers can use Nvidias Omniverse to create geospatially accurate scenarios that account for the laws of physics. Then, they can output these scenarios into Cosmos, creating photorealistic videos that provide the data for robotic reinforcement learning feedback.Again, a great way to understand this is to compare it with the LLM-based ChatGPT.I recently wrote about how Googles LLM-based tool, NotebookLM,is fantastic for learning something complex. At the time, I described the following use case:Rather than reading advanced material, its far faster and more engaging to let NotebookLMs Audio Overviews feature create a life-like podcast for you to listen to. It will create a study guide, a FAQ, a briefing guide, and a timeline, enabling you to quickly look at dense content from multiple angles, perspectives, and levels. You can start by asking the chatbot to explain it to you like youre a sixth-grader, then a high school senior, then an undergrad, and on up until youve mastered the material.In this scenario, youre training your brain by taking an existing data set and telling the chatbot to give you that same data sliced, diced, and re-formatted in eight or more ways.This is also how WFMs work, in outline. The developer takes existing training data and feeds it into Cosmos, which creates more training scenarios that are as usable as the original set. They can turn 30 scenarios into 30,000, which the robot uses as if actual trial-and-error learning had taken place.Cosmoss output looks like real-world training data, but it can rapidly train robots in thousands of scenarios.Robotics ChatGPT momentNvidia implies that Cosmos will usher in a ChatGPT moment for robotics. The company means that, just as the basic technology of neural networks existed for many years, Googles Transformer model enabled radically accelerated training that led to LLM chatbots like ChatGPT.In the more familiar world of LLMs, weve come to understand the relationship between the size of the data sets used for training these models and the speed of that training and their resulting performance and accuracy.Elon Musk pointed out recently that AI companieshave exhausted human-generated data for training AI models.Weve now exhausted basically the cumulative sum of human knowledgein AI training, he said.Data for training robots is also limited but for a different reason. Training data in the real physical world is simply slow and expensive. Unlike human-generated text, which has already happened at scale over centuries, robot-training data has to be generated from scratch.Likewise, robots and self-driving cars can essentially learn how to do their jobs and navigate complex and unfamiliar terrain. Cosmos (working with Omniverse) should dramatically increase the amount of training that can take place in a much shorter time frame.Driving safetyThe idea of testing autonomous vehicles with massive sets of physics-aware data is a vast improvement over how self-driving cars and trucks have historically been trained which is that they drive around in the real world with a safety driver.Driving in the real world with a person as backup is time-consuming, expensive, and sometimes dangerous especially when you consider that autonomous vehicles need to be trained to respond to dangerous situations.Using Cosmos to train autonomous vehicles would involve the rapid creation of huge numbers of simulated scenarios. For example, imagine the simulation of every kind of animal that could conceivably cross a road bears, dear, dogs, cats, lizards, etc. in tens of thousands of different weather and lighting conditions. By the end of all this training, the cars digital twin in Omniverse would be able to recognize and navigate scenarios of animals on the road regardless of the animal and the weather or time of day. That learning would then be transferred to thousands of real cars, which would also know how to navigate those situations (with no animals harmed).If Nvidia is right, and we have arrived at a ChatGPT moment for robotics, then the pace of robotics advances should start accelerating, driving major efficiencies and mainstreaming autonomous vehicles on public roads globally for many companies (not just Waymo in a few cities).One fascinating aspect of the new generative AI world in which we live is that predictions are futile. Nobody knows how all this will develop.And this appears to be true with predictions about how long it will take for everything to become extremely robotic. Its probably all going to happen muchfaster than anyone thinks.

Last week, when Mark Zuckerberg announced Meta would be ending third-party fact-checking, it was a shocking pivot, but not exactly surprising. Its just the latest example of a billionaire flip-flop affecting our social lives on the internet.After January 6th, Zuckerberg bragged to Congress about Facebooks industry-leading fact-checking program and banned President Trump from the platform. But just two years later, he welcomed Trump back. And last year Zuckerberg was privately reassuring conservative rep Jim Jordan that Meta will no longer demote questionable content while its being fact-checked.Now, not only is Meta ending fact-checking completely, it is loosening rules around hate speech, allowing horrendous personal attacks on migrants or trans people, for example, on its platforms.And Zuckerberg isnt the only social media CEO careening all over the road: Elon Musk, since buying Twitter in 2022 and touting free speech as the bedrock of a functioning democracy, has suspended journalists, restored tens of thousands of banned users (including White Nationalists), brought back political advertising, and weakened verification and harassment policies.Unfortunately, these capricious billionaires can do whatever they want because of an ownership model that privileges singular, centralized control in exchange for shareholder returns.And this has led to a constantly shifting, opaque digital environment in which people can lose their communication pathways and livelihoods in a second, with no recourse as the rules shift.The internet doesnt need to be like this. But as luck would have it, a new way is emerging just in time.If youve heard of Bluesky, youve probably heard of it as a clone of Twitter where liberals can take refuge. But under the hood its structured fundamentally differently in a way that could point us to a healthier internet for everyone, regardless of politics or identity.Just like email, Bluesky sits on top of an open protocol. In practice, that means that anyone can build on it. Just like you wouldnt need anyones permission to start a newsletter company built on email, people are starting to share remixed versions of their social media feed, built on Bluesky. This sounds like a small thing, but think about all the harms done by social media companies through their algorithms in the last decade: insurrection, radicalization, self-harm, bullying. Similarly, Bluesky enables users to share blocklists and labels, to collaborate on verification and moderation. Letting people shape their own experience of social media is nothing short of revolutionary.And importantly, if you decide that you dont agree with Blueskys design and moderation decisions, you can build something else on the same infrastructure and use that instead. This is fundamentally different from the dominant, centralized social media that has come before.At the core of Blueskys philosophy is the idea that instead of being centralized in the hands of one person or institution, social media governance should obey the principle of subsidiarity. Nobel Prize-winning economist Elinor Ostrom found, through studying grassroots solutions to local environmental problems around the world, that some problems are best solved locally, while others are best solved at a higher level.In terms of content moderation, posts related to CSAM or terrorism are best handled by professionals keeping millions or billions safe. But a lot of decisions about speech can be solved in each community, or even user by user by assembling a Bluesky blocklist.So all the right elements are currently in place at Bluesky to usher in this new architecture for social media: independent ownership, newfound popularity, a stark contrast with other dominant platforms, and right-minded leadership. But challenges remain, and we cant count on Bluesky doing this right without support.Critics have pointed out that Bluesky has yet to turn a profit and is currently running on venture capital, the same corporate structure that brought us Facebook, Twitter, and other social media companies. As of now, theres no option to exit Bluesky and take your data and network with you, because there are no other servers that run the AT Protocol. Bluesky CEO Jay Graber deserves credit for her stewardship so far, and for attempting to avoid the dangers of advertising incentives. But the process of capitalism degrading tech products is so predictable that Cory Doctorow coined a now-popular term for it: enshittification.Thats why we need to act now to secure the foundation of this digital future and make it enshittification-proof. Last week, prominent technologists started a new project, which we at New_ Public are supporting, called Free Our Feeds. There are three parts: First, Free Our Feeds wants to create a nonprofit foundation to govern and protect the AT Protocol, outside of Bluesky the company. We also need to build redundant servers so anyone can leave with their data or build anything they wantregardless of policies set by Bluesky. Finally, we need to spur the development of a whole ecosystem built on this tech with seed money and expertise.Its worth noting that this is not a hostile takeover: Bluesky and Graber recognize the importance of this effort and have signaled their approval. But the point is, this effort cant rely on them. To free us from fickle billionaires, some of the power has to reside outside Bluesky Inc.If we get this right, so much is possible. Not too long ago, the internet was full of builders and people working together: the open web. Email. Podcasts. Wikipedia is one of the best examples a collaborative project to create one of the webs best free, public resources. And the reason we still have it today is the infrastructure built up around it: the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation protects the project and insulates it from the pressures of capitalism. Whens the last time we collectively built anything as good?We can shift the balance of power and reclaim our social lives from these companies and their billionaires. This an opportunity to bring much more independence, innovation, and local control to our online conversations. We can finally build the Wikipedia of social media, or whatever we want. But we need to act, because the future of the internet cant depend on whether one of the richest men on earth wakes up on the wrong side of the bed.Eli Pariser is author of The Filter Bubble and co-director of New_ Public, a nonprofit R&D lab thats working to reimagine social media.Deepti Doshi is a co-director of New_ Public and was a director at Meta.

As the clock winds down toward TikTok's potential ban, we've compiled a list of the most realistic alternative short-form platforms for both creators and viewers.The countdown to the TikTok ban continuesIt's 2025 and TikTok's fate in the United States is still undecided. The Biden administration had told the company in April 2024 that it would need to divest its ownership within nine months, or the app would face a ban.The deadline, set for January 19, is rapidly approaching. And, should the ban hold up, millions of TikTok creators and viewers are going to be left in the lurch. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) has released images of its proposed 1325 West Fulton Street, a residential development in Chicagos Fulton Market district. Developed for Sulo Development, the 859,000-square-foot project is the first of three planned towers for the full-block site in the West Loop neighborhood.Image credit: Atchain via Kohn Pedersen FoxImage credit: Atchain via Kohn Pedersen FoxThe tower, characterized by its distinctive brick arches, pays homage to the areas industrial heritage while integrating modern design elements; a move KPF calls rugged sophistication. A shared podium serves as the base for the three towers, offering amenities and parking services. The development also includes publicly accessible pocket parks between the towers, creating pedestrian-friendly entryways and breaking up the structures overall mass.Image credit: Atchain via Kohn Pedersen FoxImage credit: Atchain via Kohn Pedersen FoxThe facades of the tower are defined by double-height brick arches,...

After its release date announcement, Marvelous has released a new trailer for Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma. Alongside confirming 16 companions, it highlights all the different systems, from combat and village-building to hiring NPCs for various jobs. Check it out below.Set in Azuma, the story focuses on protagonists Subaru and Kaguya, one of them stepping up to forge a contract with a dragon to become an Earth Dancer. With the Celestial Collapse leaving the land in ruins, players set out to rebuild and heal the encroaching blight.As players discover different villages, theyll set up different buildings and farms, increasing their stats. Bonding with companions will see them assist you in battle. During combat, you can wield spells and swords to slash at opponents. Mounts are available for exploration, though you can also glide around using an umbrella.Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is available on May 30th for Nintendo Switch and PC at $59.99. Stay tuned for more details before its launch.

Winking Studios announces proposed acquisition of MineloaderTotal consideration amounts to 16.3 millionImage credit: Mineloader News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 17, 2025 Outsourcing and development firm Winking Studios has announced the proposed acquisition of Shanghai-based studio Mineloader.The total consideration amounts to 16.3 million, comprising an upfront payment of 14.7 million and a deferred balance dependent on performance over the next five years.The proposal is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2025."This marks the largest acquisition to date and represents a pivotal step that augments our position in the global video games industry," said Winking Studios founder and CEO Johnny Jan."Mineloader's team of more than 460 employees will be a valuable addition to Winking Studios' existing headcount of over 800, boosting our service offerings in this segment and adding new clients."Jan continued: "Mineloader's strengths in console platform games can provide revenue diversity. There are also opportunities for increased business synergies and cross-selling, driving enhanced economies of scale and scalability."Last November, Winking Studio raised $10 million as part of a dual listing on the London Stock Exchange.

Chris Kerr, News EditorJanuary 17, 20251 Min ReadImage via SonyAt a GlanceSony has scrapped more live service titles just months after killing multiplayer shooter Concord.PlayStation maker Sony has canceled two unannounced live service titles in development at first-party studios Bluepoint Games and Bend Studio.The company confirmed the news to Bloomberg and stated both studios will remain operational.In a post on Bluesky, Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier said one of those projects was a live service God of War title in development at Dark Souls remake developer Bluepoint.Sony explained both titles were canceled following a "recent review." Although neither studio is being shuttered, Sony didn't state whether the decision will lead to layoffs."Bend and Bluepoint are highly accomplished teams who are valued members of the PlayStation Studios family, and we are working closely with each studio to determine what are the next projects, a company spokesperson told Bloomberg.Sony has canceled a number of live-service projects in recent years, including multiplayer shooter Concord.Concord was a high-profile miss for the company. It was pulled from sale within weeks of release and eventually canned. Developer Firewalk was then shuttered by Sony, with the studio claiming certain aspects of the title "didn't land as we hoped."As noted by Bloomberg in December 2023, the Japanese console maker previously shelved a multiplayer take on Marvel's Spider-Man.Last year, Sony did find success with Helldivers 2. The company published the lauded multiplayer shooter from Arrowhead Game Studios to cement its position as a PlayStation console exclusive. The title has sold over 12 million copies to date.It also, however, laid off hundreds of developers across key subsidiaries such as Insomniac, Naughty Dog, and Guerrilla Games. Other internal studios, including Firewalk, London Studio, and mobile developer Neon Koi, were closed.Read more about:[Company] PlayStationAbout the AuthorChris KerrNews Editor, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, andPocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Google has notified the European Union that it wont integrate work from fact-checking organizations into Search or YouTube, ahead of the blocs plans to expand disinformation laws. Google had previously signed a set of voluntary commitments that the EU introduced in 2022 to reduce the impact of online disinformation, which are in the process of being formalized into law under the Digital Services Act (DSA).The pushback comes as the emboldened leaders of US tech companies, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, have been courting President-elect Donald Trump, with Tim Cook and Mark Zuckerberg urging him directly to combat EU regulatory enforcement. In a letter written to the European Commissions content and technology czar Renate Nikolay seen by Axios, Googles global affairs president Kent Walker affirmed that Google wont commit to the fact-checking requirement as it simply isnt appropriate or effective for our services. Google will also pull out of all fact-checking commitments in the Code before the rules become law in the DSA Code of Conduct, according to Walker.Currently, the EUs Code of Practice on Disinformation commits signatories to work with fact-checkers in all EU countries, make their work available to users in all EU languages, and cut financial incentives for spreading disinformation on their platforms. The code also compels companies to make it easier for users to recognize, understand, and flag disinformation, alongside labeling political ads and analyzing fake accounts, bots, and malicious deep fakes that spread disinformation.Fact-checking isnt currently included as part of Googles content moderation practices. The company objected to some of the codes requirements in its agreement, saying that Search and YouTube will endeavour to reach agreements with fact checking organizations in line with this measure, but services will not have complete control over this process.40 online platforms have signed the code, including Microsoft, TikTok, Twitch, and Meta despite the latter scrapping its fact-checking program in the US earlier this month. Twitter (now X) was also a signatory but pulled out after Elon Musk purchased the platform. According to the European Fact-Checking Standards Network, many of the other digital platforms that signed the voluntary disinformation code have been lax about fulfilling their commitments.Its unclear whether all of the codes requirements will be formalized into official rules under the DSA EU lawmakers have been in discussions with signatories regarding which commitments they will agree to follow. The Commission has yet to announce when the code will officially become law, having said in November that its expected to come into force by January 2025 at the earliest.

The Nintendo Switch 2 was finally, officially announced this week, and while we now have answers to basic questions like "What is it?" and "What's it called?", there's still plenty we don't know. But even amid the lingering questions and wild speculation, there's now enough info to start making some predictions about how this new hybrid console from Nintendo will resonate with audiences and whether it will be able to overtake the original Switch and its 146 million units sold.We could rampantly guess at these things ourselves here at IGN, or we could ask some experts what they think. We did the second thing, and spoke to seven professional analysts to get their initial takes on the Nintendo Switch 2: is it a good idea, is it going to sell, and what it needs to do to secure long-term success.Nintendo Switch 2 - First LookIGN's Twenty Questions - Guess the game!IGN's Twenty Questions - Guess the game!To start:...try asking a question that can be answered with a "Yes" or "No".000/250Successor success?Overall, the tone from analysts I spoke to was positive, and largely in sync. Analysts told me that Nintendo's move in making the Nintendo Switch 2 essentially a Nintendo Switch 1 but bigger and better was the correct play on Nintendo's part. As Joost van Dreunen of NYU Stern and the Super Joost newsletter explained:Nintendo's approach to differentiation appears carefully calibrated to maintain platform continuity while delivering meaningful improvements. Technical specifications may matter less than Nintendo's proven ability to create compelling software experiences. The original Switch demonstrated that revolutionary gameplay innovation often emerges from creative software design rather than raw hardware capability. I expect the new design to appeal especially well to the first 25 million early adopters eager to upgrade.PlayCircana's Mat Piscatella agrees, with a caveat. Bigger and better is good for the many folks who want exactly that, but that means the Nintendo Switch 2 will struggle to attract an audience outside of that."The challenge is that the Switch has been a breakout success," he says. "It is an outlier is many ways, including how much it has sold, and for how long it's been selling. Some of the games that were released for it are, years later, still among the best-selling games each and every month. Can a successor that does not change the formula significantly really have a shot at repeating or expanding on that level of success? Well, it's possible, but not probable."Piscatella summarizes a point that every analyst I spoke to landed on one way or another in my conversations with them: the Nintendo Switch 2 will likely do very well, and will probably even come out of the gate selling better than the original Nintendo Switch. But it will be very, very difficult for it to surpass its predecessor.Let's do the numbersNo one I spoke to thought that the Nintendo Switch 2 was going to be a flop, and in fact everyone is expecting a real home run of a launch. Dr. Serkan Toto of Kantan Games referred to the Switch 1 as "really, really old now" and said he thought its age would be sufficient to turn around an initial batch of 10 to 20 million unit sales fairly quickly to hardcore fans just on base improvements alone. But from there, things get a bit trickier.Omdia's George Jijiashvili is expecting the Nintendo Switch 2 to launch in the first half of 2025, with 14.7 million Nintendo Switch 2 consoles sold through in the calendar year. That's more than the Nintendo Switch 1, which sold 13.12 units worldwide in its first calendar year on the market. However, Omdia also expects Switch 2 will eventually fall behind Nintendo Switch 1 sales after its third calendar year on the market, with Jijiashvili saying that surpassing the Switch 1's lifetime totals would be "a very tall order."Piers Harding-Rolls, games industry analyst at Ampere, has a similar number, projecting over 13 million sales the first year. He notes that this is based on a $400 price point, which seemed to be roughly the ballpark all the analysts I spoke to were expecting. But he added that a price up to $500 likely wouldn't inhibit 2025 sales.And over a slightly different period, van Dreunen said he expected between 15 and 18 million units sold of the Switch 2 within the first 12 months, and between 55 and 60 million games sold. He pointed out that the expected Mario film release in April 2026 would help drive awareness. But he also expressed concern contrary to Harding-Rolls' expectations that a higher price than $400, combined with possible tariff impacts in the United States, could influence sales meaningfully. As for out-selling the Switch 2, van Dreunen thinks the Switch 2 could manage it if Nintendo threads a careful needle."Surpassing the Switch's remarkable success demands masterful execution across multiple dimensions. Nintendo must continue expanding its entertainment ecosystem while maintaining its core gaming excellence," he says. "The convergence of gaming and broader entertainment, exemplified by the Mario movie's success, provides a promising pathway. The company's careful balance of innovation and accessibility and its expanding distribution channels create the potential for broader market penetration than its predecessor.Looking at the United States specifically, Piscatella has the Nintendo Switch 2 selling around 4.3 million units in the 2025 calendar year, with a ballpark of 14 to 17 million worldwide over the same period. He caveats that this is dependant on both the number of units actually made, but also where they're sent. Rhys Elliott of MIDiA also pointed out that console supply could be an issue for Nintendo as companies continue to battle over fabricator space, though Jijiashvili suspects that the later-than-expected launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 was in part to counter that issue and may have ensured an improved launch supply.First year, and beyondEveryone I spoke to seemed to agree that after the initial year or so rush of Switch 2 sales things would slow down, but several did suggest there might be a path for Nintendo to outdo its original hit.All of the analysts I spoke to emphasized the importance of a good software line-up to help the Nintendo Switch 2 succeed long-term. Elliott expects to see (alongside the new Mario Kart) a new 3D Mario, an upgraded Pokmon of some sort, and "likely some other surprises" in the console's first year. He also points out that it's been almost five years since Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Toto also mentioned the importance of a 3D Mario as a "system seller", as well as a Zelda, and van Dreunen echoed those same games as necessities.Many would find the idea of abandoning their prized digital and physical libraries completely unacceptable in 2025.Alongside that, the Nintendo Switch 2 has backward compatibility with its predecessor, which every analyst agreed was a good move on Nintendo's part. Harding-Rolls called it "non-negotiable" in this day and age, though he also noted that it may inhibit some users upgrading and slow sales of the Switch 2. Toto points out that Nintendo has sold over one billion Nintendo Switch games, which will now be playable on the Nintendo Switch 2. And Jijiashvili notes that Nintendo clearly recognizes this feature as important, given that Nintendo confirmed it even before the teaser today. "Many would find the idea of abandoning their prized digital and physical libraries completely unacceptable in 2025, given all other console and PC platforms now offer persistent game ownership when upgrading hardware," he says.Third-party support was also mentioned by several analysts as critical, but Elliott suggests Nintendo is already set up for success here. "Except for Ubisoft, many third-party publishers were late to the party with the original Switch, scared off by the Wii Us underperformance," he says. "Things will be different for the Switch 2, and third-parties will get in on the ground floor.""The Switch 2 offers up a springboard for third-party developers to extend the lifecycles of their game catalogs, promising engagement and revenue boosts for third-party developers big and small. It will be an opportunity for EA, Ubisoft, and the like to extend the product life cycles of their older PS4 and Xbox One-era games. Speaking of which, Xbox and even PlayStation have been [launching more] games on the Switch. I expect this will ramp up on the Switch 2 as these companies continue their off-platform strategies. I can already play Halo on my Steam Deck. I expect Ill be able to play it on my Switch 2 one day, too."Systematic SwitchA few other topics came up when speaking with analysts that are worth mentioning in regards to the Nintendo Switch 2. Simon Carless of GameDiscoverCo was extremely interested in how the old Nintendo Switch catalog would be integrated would previous-gen Switch games be fully integrated into eShop charts and browsing, or would there be separate shops? Discoverability will be a crucial factor with regard to long-term third-party support, as well as how Switch 2 games sell.Van Dreunen also brought up questions around Nintendo's approach to digital services and online infrastructure, areas where its competitors have typically had the advantage. And everyone wants to know how much the thing costs, though the folks we spoke to largely seemed to coalesce around a $400 price point for the purposes of making predictions now.PlayOne more thought that cropped up a few times when speaking with analysts was the notion that Nintendo might still have a "surprise" or a "trick" up its sleeve somewhere that could potentially propel the Nintendo Switch 2 to new heights. Both Piscatella and Elliott mentioned this, with Elliott suggesting it might be something like the rumored Joy-Con mouse functionality. Harding-Rolls also alluded to the possibility of "unobvious technology innovations" that could shift the forecast. Without knowing what this could be yet, it's impossible to make predictions around it, but the air of mystery could still throw everyone's predictions for a loop.Taken all together, the vibes around the Nintendo Switch 2 are looking pretty positive. It's not a wild swing for the fences like some may have hoped, but after the riotous success of the Nintendo Switch 1, who can really blame Nintendo? Its safe bet looks poised to pay off at least in the short term, and likely won't be a disaster long-term either. As Piscatella put it: "for the moment, it's fine. Good, even. But it's also the safe way to go. For better and worse."Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.