Ever since the Nintendo Switch hit the market, some users have complained about connectivity issues with the Joy-Con controllers, especially the left unit. Nintendo tried to fix it by rolling out updates, but as the problem is associated with the antenna assembly inside the controller, software updates cannot actually solve the issue. However, it now appears that Nintendo is finally going to make the necessary hardware changes to fix the Joy-Con’s connectivity problem.
Nintendo has filed an application with the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) detailing a hardware change that will supposedly fix the controller’s connectivity issue, which caused the Joy-Con to lose connection with the console.
In one of the documents titled ‘Request for Class II Permissive Change’, Nintendo mentions that the company has changed the antenna pattern and peripheral circuit of the original Joy-Con model. Another document named ‘Radio Test Report’ states that the device under testing is a production prototype and that the sample used in the test is ‘equivalent to mass-produced items’.
It appears that Nintendo has only tweaked the antenna and circuit hardware on the standard Joy-Con controller in a bid to fix the issue. And if the changes yield the desired result, the upgraded Joy-Con will essentially be the same as the original model, except for the improvements under the hood. However, it is not clear if, or when, Nintendo will launch the updated Joy-Cons, and whether they will be sold separately as replacements for the defective parts.
Aside from the Joy-Con issue, the Switch is also plagued by another hardware flaw which leaves millions of Switch consoles vulnerable to a total jailbreak. The vulnerability allows hackers to execute arbitrary code, run custom ROMs on the console, install emulators and back-up their games externally among other things.
