Soon after Nintendo introduced its DSi to the world, the inevitable question on Nintendo’s strategy came up, and with it, a comparison with Apple’s iPhone. As the DSi comes with new capabilities, has Nintendo developed a new strategy?

Nintendo President Satoru Iwata answered that, in an interview with Nikket Net, translated by Edge Online. And as much as we wanted to hear “game on,” Iwata dismissed the rumors, saying the DSi was created as a device with useful capabilities that users will want to keep on them at all times, rather than as a device to compete with the iPhone.

However, we just can’t stop thinking about, there’s just too much coincidence: Nintendo DSi has expanded capabilities, beyond
being a gaming platform. If offers applications such as subway maps for instance, and in addition to that, it will also have its
very own version of the “App Store.” Does that sound familiar?

But Iwata said the strategy behind the launch on Nintendo DSi does not including competing with the iPhone, or even Sony’s PSP.
Instead, Iwata explained, “we wanted to create an offering that would fit naturally into people’s everyday lives.” Nintendo DSi comes with a more compact design, as well as new memory features, a 3-megapixel camera and a lot of options.

As Iwata explained during the Fall Press Event, the goal is to make Nintendo DSi reach not only every household, but every person in the household.

Nintendo has announced November 1 as the official release date for the DSi in Japan, although they gave no official date for the
North American release. According to Nintendo of North America president Reggie Fils-Aime, Americans will get to see the DSi “well
into 2009.”