According to a patent application dug up by a NeoGAF user, Nintendo may well be planning to do some mobile emulating of its own.

The patent, which was filed in the middle of the year, is for "a software emulator for emulating a handheld video game platform such as GAME BOY.RTM., GAME BOY COLOR.RTM. and/or GAME BOY ADVANCE.RTM. on a low-capability target platform (e.g., a seat-back display for airline or train use, a personal digital assistant, a cell phone)."

You can read a lot more details about the patent over at the original post, but it certainly looks like Nintendo is at the very least thinking about finding a way to bring older games to mobile.

Of course this is all massively up in the air, and could well end up being an idea that never actually sees the light of day. It's a nice thought though.

You can, technically, already play emulated GBA games on your iPhone or iPad. Not that we condone that sort of behaviour in the slightest.