Last month it was rumored that Nintendo was set to launch a cheaper Switch, now we know how that's going to be achieved: the new Switch is expected to be smaller.

As The Verge reports, a report coming out of Japan suggests that Nintendo is preparing to launch a new version of the Switch in the fall. The key difference for this new model is its size as Nintendo has decided a smaller, more portable version of the Switch would sell well. It's hard to argue against that.

The existing Switch, although portable, is quite a large unit due to the 6.2-inch display and Joy-Con controllers attached to either side. It's certainly not as easy to carry around as the many variants of the 3DS, but that hasn't stopped people trying and a number of accessories and cases have appeared to support the hybrid machine on-the-go.

So how small could this new Switch be? The one limiting factor to consider is the Joy-Con controllers as it would be difficult to make them any smaller and remain usable. Even so, if Nintendo can reduce down to a display in the 4-to-5-inch range then the Switch certainly becomes more portable. If they can achieve that while also improving battery life, then this could become the preferred Switch model going forward.

One thing to note about this rumored new Switch is the fact it will retain the ability to connect to your TV, which means it will still have a dock of some form. Hopefully it's a better dock than the existing Switch has. We also can't forget a higher-performance Switch is also expected at some point in the future, we just don't know when.