Nintendo new console Wii U will reportedly have its own app store and will also double as an e-reader. The company is talking with publishers and developers to produce content for this unnamed app store.

A source told online magazine ForgetTheBox that Nintendo's e-reader will allow users to download books, magazines, newspapers, comics and other content to their Wii U console. Nintendo is even thinking about providing free "Players Guides" for console games, downloadable instruction booklets and back issues of "Nintendo Power", the company's former official magazine. Gamers can also pay to get access to official strategy game guides published by Prima Guides.

The source, an iOS developer based in Los Angeles, also said that Nintendo initially approached the developer's studio to assist in porting and publishing iOS software to Nintendo's Wii U's touchscreen controller. Nintendo is also reportedly looking for partnerships with publishers to bring ebooks, magazines and newspapers to the ebook store. The virtual books will be synchronized to work on other Nintendo devices like the 3DS. As long as the user logs in the same account, they can read e-books on the Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS. The source also added that the 3DS and Wii U can download content while it's idle because of the consoles' active sleep system.

Nintendo is also planning on launching an app store that will offer more content than that of Nintendo's offerings on the current Wii Shop, DSiWare and 3DS eShop online stores. Aside from offering games and simple utilities, Wii U's app store will offer a wider variety of apps such as MLB.TV and other apps that can work independently on the tablet-like controller.

If these rumors are true then it shows that Nintendo is thinking of ways to maximize its new console to incorporate apps and mobile gaming popularized by Apple and Google. The Wii U's new touchscreen controller is the perfect device for Nintendo to launch a viable competitor to the iPad or other Android tablets. The Wii U controller can even be used as an e-reader or as a separate tablet to play games.