Satoru Iwata and others recently released a corporate briefing on the current fiscal year and upcoming development. We previously mentioned Nintendo's take on HD in the future. In the briefing, Iwata also touched on the Vitality Sensor, possible new DS features and a few other things concerning Nintendo hardware.

Perhaps the most anticipated new Wii addition is the Nintendo Vitality Sensor, due out next year. The sensor will not only measure heart rate, but other things as well. "Based on my experiences, to measure something invisible and have it turn into something tangible like a number like weighing myself on Wii Fit, or to give a numeric value to something invisible in our daily life will be materials of new plays which will feel familiar to us or can improve our lifestyles," said Iwata. He added that the advanced features are what make the sensor so marketable. "If Wii Vitality Sensor is simply a pulsimeter, we did not need such a grandiose announcement. It is a tool to analyze various biological signals by scanning the pulse, in order to make something invisible visible." Iwata promised that more information on the sensor will be given at a later date.

Iwata also discussed the idea of bringing a 3G-like network to the DS. "Whenever I received the question, 'Won't Nintendo integrate cell-phone functions to its portable game devices?' I always answered, 'It will be OK if our customers do not have to make monthly payments'," Iwata says. "Basically, I have not changed that answer." It's not much, but does give us some hope for using the DS as more than just a camera and gaming platform. (In case you're wondering, Iwata has an iPhone.)

Iwata was quick to defend the company against criticism about features in new Apple products. "I cannot understand at all why some people come to think that Nintendo has lost its edge as soon as they hear such news that other companies are newly applying for motion sensing technology," Iwata said. "If fun and interesting software to take advantage of the technology could be created that easily, a number of other titles which are more fun than Wii Sports must have been already launched for Wii."

Internet use on the Wii is varied according to Iwata. "As the console spreads, many people will buy, including those who are not really interested in the Internet, and the ratio will decline," Iwata said, noting that the ratio rises as internet-specific apps and games with online play are released. In Japan, the online ratio for the Wii is 30%, while the DS is at 20%. "It had increased with the measures like Nintendo Zone with McDonald's to lower the hurdle for connection," said Iwata, "but has not reached the 30% mark."

You can read a full translation of the briefing here.