The iPhone and iPod Touch are often seen as credible rivals to Nintendo’s DSi but the Japanese gaming giant has ruled out adding phone functionality to its handheld gaming device. In April, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that the firm would offer a phone if it could avoid the monthly subscriptions. Now, Reggie Fils-Aime, president and chief operating officer of Nintendo of America, speaking to the Nytimes.com ahead of the gaming industry’s E3 Expo trade show said, “Telephony is not in our wheelhouse. It’s not something I anticipate us getting into.”

But what Ninendo is considering is offering always-on wireless connectivity, similar to what Amazon’s Kindle e-reader offers. (The DSi is currently only able to connect to the internet through a Wi-Fi hotspot). Fils-Aime said that questions remained though, most importantly, how much such a device would cost.

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