So giving thought to many who believe this will truly be the last generation of the handheld gaming device, due to the rise of smartphones and tablets (not that I believe it is the end, but who knows what will come?).

Who here thinks the Wii U is a play at the future of the handheld gaming market, they are building out digital services, apps, and more, all with a screen in your hands. The only problem being in terms of a handheld is it is dependent upon the Wii U.

What is to say in the future, at the end of the 3DS life that their next handheld is not a similar concept, a tablet akin to the Wii U, but instead of being a device that gets a stream from the Wii U, it houses all of its processing power internally, essentially a portable gaming device in the style of the current craze, with physical controls. How realistic is such a scenario?

So, basically you insert your games into the controller and connect it to the TV when you are at home?

Yeah, I can see that happening. Not in a long while though (partially since the portables still can make a profit).

If they even have games to be inserted by then (they are going all out on the digital front it seems) it could be simply a retail code you buy in the store, which they are already planning to do.

Like a fat Vita then....

My prediction is that it will influence Vita sales...

If you picture it that way, but I am speaking in terms of the general concept, essentially a tablet with physical game controls.

Counterproductive. This is something they can't and won't do. The handheld market is an area where they excel which an area they've always been able to fall back on.

I was thinking that before reading your post. Still, the vita technology isn't as powerful as the WiiU technology (I believe) due to what you can actually do with the WiiU Pad, like superimposing the screens and viewing things in 3D space around you physically. The Vita might be able to get there with updates and patches, but who knows how seemless the integration of it will be from a development perspective.

Then again, I really don't know since I don't have a Vita + PS3 SDK.

But then the question for OT would be, since in such a scenario the processing would be in the handheld rather than the console, how would the handheld broadcast video signals to the TV? Using wireless video receptors in the TV's HDMI port?

I personally don't think handheld consoles will end after this generation, that would be too quick. But I wouldn't be surprised if it did. Maybe Sony and Ninty will go for one more round of new consoles. Then, both of them will sell poorly because everyone will have smartphones in 5-10 years.

Not sure, but there exists today wireless video capabilities, high frequency, short range to keep your TV wire free, perhaps something like that?