Not all of the Nintendo 3DS’ features will make it for launch, as we learned during the handheld’s price and release date reveal event in New York. The “eShop,” the Internet browser, and the DSiWare transfer service will all be coming at a later date, according to a quarterly reportNintendo produced last week.

The digital release of these three features coincides with the first system update that is slated to hit at some point in May, a couple of months after the Nintendo 3DS hits North American shores on March 27, 2011. It’s impossible to tell what the hold-up is from the quarterly report, but it looks like Nintendo wants to give all three some user-friendly functionality before they make their debut.  

“So far, Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi Shop, which are based on internet-browser technology, have not provided the users with a sufficiently easy and accessible interface because switching from one screen to another takes time and, for Wii, promotions by Nintendo Channel and sales at Wii Shop Channel have not been closely linked,” Nintendo president Iwata says in the report (via Shacknews). 
 
  

Not all of the Nintendo 3DS’ features will make it for launch, as we learned during the handheld’s price and release date reveal event in New York. The “eShop,” the Internet browser, and the DSiWare transfer service will all be coming at a later date, according to a quarterly reportNintendo produced last week.

The digital release of these three features coincides with the first system update that is slated to hit at some point in May, a couple of months after the Nintendo 3DS hits North American shores on March 27, 2011. It’s impossible to tell what the hold-up is from the quarterly report, but it looks like Nintendo wants to give all three some user-friendly functionality before they make their debut.  

“So far, Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi Shop, which are based on internet-browser technology, have not provided the users with a sufficiently easy and accessible interface because switching from one screen to another takes time and, for Wii, promotions by Nintendo Channel and sales at Wii Shop Channel have not been closely linked,” Nintendo president Iwata says in the report (via Shacknews). 
 
  

Also they are working on making some bitching tunes.

Gah, bummer. I was going to get one for one of my lady friends, but I guess as with most consoles/handhelds the initial selection will be limited. By limited I mean terrible.

poor Jeff.

Delay it! It's not ready! Let it come out in June! 
And I know that sounds controversial... but really, the system is launching too soon. Let it come out when it's ready, and that's when it has all of its features.

It takes a while to come up with a new jingle.

I expect nothing less from Nintendo.

Nintendo is terrible at this online thing. Forced friend codes, split Wii/DSi points, non-transferable games because there's no accounts to link them to... it's really terrible for the customer.
 
I don't expect them to improve on this with the 3DS. Plus we now have region-locked games to look forward to, on handhelds!

So the NintenDownload X-Press won't be expanding until May then. Oh well. 

" Delay it! "

Does it make sense to release a new system piece-meal?

Until May?  Hmm.... I think I will wait to purchase a 3DS then.

THE NINTENDOWNLOAD X-PRESS HAS MADE AN UNEXPECTED LAYOVER

It's a shame that the NDX will have to miss out on the excitement of the launch of the 3DS.

This means the 3DS will have some sort of update system, which is something right?

So they don't have any good launch games and the e-shop isn't launching until May... why are they launching it early than?

Is there any point getting this at launch? Its not as if any good games are out at launch anyway.

Has anyone checked on Jeff? I hope he was sitting down when this news made him faint.

With the massive "launch window" and the fact that it's coming out basically incomplete, I get the feeling that they're rushing it's release a bit. It's definitely not a day-one purchase for me anymore, maybe I'll grab it after E3, but I think it's kinda stupid for nintendo to do this. Doesn't come off as very polished.  
 
@tineyoghurt said:

" This means the 3DS will have some sort of update system, which is something right? "

I'll be buying one to play DS games since my DS is broken. I can wait for good 3DS games.

The reason Nintendo has nothing at launch is because they need to get the hardware on sale before end of Japanese fiscal year, and the games aren't ready
Accounting, etc

Man, remember all of these threads? They got me hyped for the DSi and the gameboy virtual console Nintendo promised us. It never happened, now they're postponing it again. I'm starting to think it'll never happen.

 
You do wonder just how much the bad web service has cost Nintendo - the overhead cost of development must be pretty small in comparison with the sheer profit of a digital only service. There always seemed tons of content (with admittedly a few diamonds in the piles of brown stuff) but always with the hurdle you had to make a purchase.
 
OK they are hardly down to their last brass farthing but the plateau / slide in DS and Wii sales (and relatively poor attach rate) may have forced their hand. 

Pretty disappointing.. the launch games are already sorely lacking and now we're not even getting Links Awakening?  It's beginning to sound more rushed than the 360 launch.

So what exactly are we getting on the day of the release? Anything at all?

It's a bummer to hear, but oh well.  I really hope the internet browser is decent this time.  The DSi browser wasn't that good.

" So what exactly are we getting on the day of the release? Anything at all? "

I'm tired of supporting Nintendo and their piss poor attitude towards online play. Having it there is not enough. This is the 3rd or 4th time you threw away an opportunity to redo your online infrastructure, get rid of friend codes, and basically have it be like XBL/PSN.  
 
But no, even though millions of kids have XBL/PSN accounts, you feel like you have some duty to defend us by using friend codes.  
 
So fuck you Nintendo and your one gimmick hardware releases. Everyone will be over the nifty glassless 3D within a couple of months. You might say no but you know thats what happened with your Wii. 
 
Edit: Is there a reason people think the 3DS looks good? It almost looks like its copying the crappy clamshell design from the very first DS. And some of the button layouts are just stupid looking. Very cluttered.

Hey at least they are TRYING to make things better!  How many of us would be happy if it launched with some broken ass online interface like the DSi has?  I'm not saying this isn't irritating and I too wish it had more stuff ready for its launch but at least Nintendo seems to be giving online a better shot this time around.

Huh....huh...? 
All I read that they wanted improve it before releasing it, what up with the panic, you people?
 
But anyway, bummer

Nintendo really does need to have a long, hard think about this whole 'on-line' thing, so I guess it's for the best.
The whole 3DS launch looks a bit rushed, which seems weird when you consider their position in the market and the piles of money that they're swimming in.
 
Nintendo already un-sold on the 3DS though, thanks to the region locking, so definitely no launch day purchase for me.
But I'll see how it turns out after a hardware refresh and a couple of price drops.

Between this and the lackluster launch lineup, I'm going to wait until my son's bday in September to pick one up.

Officially NOT getting this at launch. Going to GameStop and changing my pre-order to Portal 2 for PS3.

Brad stealing jeffs thunder. He should report this.

" It's a bummer to hear, but oh well.  I really hope the internet browser is decent this time.  The DSi browser wasn't that good. "

What a total joke.  Anyone that gets this at launch is complete fool.

Good thing Nintendo Downloads Xpress exists to inform people on the shit games they could be missing out on.

I'd rather have a fantastic eShop day one with plenty of releases to choose from, instead of the Wii's 2006 Virtual Console launch when the choices were between Soccer and Altered Beast.

Nintendo needs to get with the fuckin times

How disappointing. And yet, I have the distinctive feeling they'll pull off the Wii launch all over again, with it becoming extremely scarce a month or so after launch. So, the question for me becomes, should I buy it at launch with only half of its features, or wait until May, where it might be impossible to find? Decisions, decisions...

Still waiting for the train to reach the station!

" How disappointing. And yet, I have the distinctive feeling they'll pull off the Wii launch all over again, with it becoming extremely scarce a month or so after launch. So, the question for me becomes, should I buy it at launch with only half of its features, or wait until May, where it might be impossible to find? Decisions, decisions... "

Its hard to believe they couldn't have some sort of account transfer in place for launch at the very least. Considering the amount of DSi owners out there it makes no sense that there isn't an easy upgrade path available to them with regards their DSiware purhases.

Oh thank god we are getting actual word from Nintendo that they know their previous stores sucked, I always worry that Japanese companies are often oblivious to these types of issues or at least that is how they often come off. I'll happily allow them the time they need to improve this stuff.

Getting a game system at launch is almost never a good idea anyways.