According to Japanese business newspaper Nikkei, Nintendo are currently making plans to release a new version of their hit handheld, the Nintendo DS, across Japan before the end of the year.

The new DS is said to feature a built in camera, music playback and enhanced wi-fi connectivity to allow the unit to connect to information terminals, which we can only imagine will be similar to DS download stations but full of clever information about how to find local businesses and things.

Also, the built in camera is reported to be compatible with some future games, expanding gameplay possibilities.

Nikkei Net says that the new DS will be “expected to be priced below 20,000 yen”, with a Japan-only initial release of only “several hundred thousand units” before any units will be sold overseas.

We think that this could be possible, as who wouldn’t want a new DS that could take pictures and play music out of the box? Although the report doesn’t seem to mention any motion sensing capabilities, which would be a crying shame if Nikkei are right.

Nikkei Net via NeoGAF Forums