Nintendo has put the word out that they are getting set to launch the much bigger Nintendo 3DS XL on August 19, 2012.  The top screen (4.88 inches) and bottom (4.18 inches) are about 90% bigger than their predecessors.  Despite the increased size, the top and bottom panels are still 240X800 and 240X320 pixels respectively, so updated game code or extra processing power won't be needed. The XL features a bundled 4GB SD card as well.
 
Price?  This is the best part: just $200 bucks.  As described in the above video, Nintendo has a slew of games coming down the pipe for the Nintendo 3DS and 3DS XL this coming August, and they are clearly working hard to make the 3DS a successful platform.


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Very cool. Honestly don't play the 3DS as much as I'd like, so I may skip this new version. Still, I'm sure there will be a market for this.

yeah, but just wait till you realize there is an extra 2 bills doing nothing specific in your pocket! I'll find it hard not to pick one up, even though my 3DS sits in the charger mostly. It's the nature of our affliction.

Yeah, I know the feeling. Probably get one if they come out with better colors in the US. Right now we are only getting red and blue. I like the look of the white one in Japan.

The new 3ds XL is a pleasant surprise by Nintendo.

I believe the larger 3DS was created for a number of reasons.

The larger screen should be easier on the eyes - especially for those over 35. The screen sweet spot needs to be easily viewed from an adults arms length. I use reading glasses to play on the 3DS - not because I need reading glasses, but because of the eye strain from watching 3D on the small screen. So much for glasses-free 3D, Nintendo! One downside of reading glasses though is the reduced 3D depth effect. Hopefully the new model makes all of this fooling around unnecessary.

I imagine 3D video is one of the main features targeted by the 3DS redesign. Although the resolution has not changed by upscaling the size of the screen, video should still be good looking. Avatar looks spectacular on the 3DS, and maybe even better on the larger screen too.

The larger casing should make it more comfortable to hold without getting cramped hands, and hopefully not causing your arms to fall off with the added weight from prolonged holding.

Still, Nintendo have probably got the 3DS XL Pro Plus in the works as we speak. It will have a lower panel that looks like a Wii U - with two offset circle pads, wireless streaming of 3D, and two inner cameras for 3D face-to-face videoconferencing with sketchpad touch interactivity.

Lots of options coming down the pipe.

Thanks.

New design and still no second analog joystick. That's very stupid.

@hendehog: That's what I thought at first also - releasing a bigger version and they didn't take this golden opportunity to integrate the second circle pad, after they realized omitting it on the original was a bit of a mistake (considering they released the circle pad pro add-on)?? So I'm trying to sort through the reasons why Nintendo would yet again exclude the 2nd circle pad. My only guess is that they want to focus on using the touch screen like a 2nd analog stick while viewing the circle pad pro add-on as a lesser, secondary input. Or something...

Still wish they would've included it

I love larger screens, and I own a DSi XL... But I think that this will be a pass for me. The 3DS display is already pretty low res, an even lower PPI is not going to help.

Who knows, though, maybe I just won't be able to resist.

I'm both excited and annoyed by this announcement.
Excited: because I love my 3DS and having a screen that is almost double the size should dramatically increase the maximum depth available, assuming that the max setting renders the same images as it did on the original.
Annoyed: NO SECOND ANALOG STICK??? This is really stupid! The first one would have had to have a slightly different design and moved the power button to accommodate it, but I see no reason for leaving it off the XL.

I'll probably still get one (give my current one to my girlfriend) but really wish that nintendo would finally realize how much better it would be with a second analog stick.

One other good thing I noticed... REAL BUTTONS below the screen! I'm really not a fan of the buttons on the 3ds, so this should be nicer.