As a gamer I should normally be happy with a new handheld but I prefer Sony not waste resources on it and spend it all on PS4/Consoles/VR...

If done right a new Mobile PlayStation should fall right in line with all other PS4 hardware. It should be built off the same chipset as the PS4, run the same OS, and essentially be just another form factor of the PS4. It should have next to no effect on game development, and only very little resources from Sony. The overall platform is already being built around scalability, which allows for higher and lower end devices to fall in line with little impact.

From the start it should basically be looked at as just another way to play your PS4 games. For some it may be the only PS4 they buy, for others it might be a convient way to take PS4 on the go, for another group it may be of no interest. If Sony can do it with little impact, and add another oppertunity for profits to their ecosystem, then it is a must.

If it fails, and only reaches Vita levels, then it should be no big deal for Sony. They should almost certaintly make a profit off the endeavor. If it succeeds, then they can bring in more man power to improve the mobile side. Ultimately they could end their Xperia Phones, and bring the Sony Mobile staff over to work on Apps and OS support for the mobile aspects of the PS4 ecosystem. It is a low risk business move, that could result in billions in profits, and greatly increase Sonys market value and userbase.

I feel like a properly marketed rival to the Switch could make a dent.

1. Make it nearly identical to the Switch in specifications. Maybe 5-10% stronger or weaker, but the difference needs to be relatively negligible.

2. Give it full library support from the PSVita.

3. Make a development kit designed to make porting to and from the Switch easy.

4. Get Monster Hunter back.

5. Allow use of the "Playcons" on the PS4, and for the DS4 on the handheld.

6. Let it use standard SD or microSD cards for storage.

7. Finally, call it "PlayStation Rival", because we all know what its purpose for existing is.

Dunno , but I don't think one failure is enough to say a new playstation portable is imposible.

What you're describing is wishful thinking. 

Putting a 55-60 watt 16nm chip into a mobile form factor isn't easily feasible even with a die shrink. 

PS4 is not built for that kind of scalability. Switch on the other hand, certainly is. 

Not to mention good luck with the games ... how's that supposed to work? 512GB onboard flash? 

So this generation's PS Move except with a greater chance of failure.

No more failure potential than the Wii U, at any rate.

Which is bullshit. Square-Enix CEO talks about a completely new Sony platform and no one notices it. Try again Dave. 

More likely that article was a mistranslation or full of crap by some 12 year old kid. 

I need to post in this thread.

I think it might be true but I wonder if that goes against Sony's philosophy. No matter what Nintendo will have us to believe, once 3DS is phased out Switch is going to take the main stage as a handheld and home console. That's it's appeal. For PS Vita 2 or PSP3, whatever you want to call it, it's going to be going up against PS4 and possibly PS5.

And to that I ask, what's their goal of a new handheld? Convince people to buy a PSP3 after they've bought a PS4? Will it play PS4 games? Does it have PS5 support? Because it's almost time for new hardware for Sony. By the time it gets games out from PS4 it'll be time for PS5 games to arrive and I don't imagine they'd make a consumer grade handheld with next gen power without costing an arm and a leg. It's just too late in the game for this and it doesn't make sense for them that is unless, it somehow plays PS5 games.

And then there's the other elephant in the room, games. Nintendo kinda has the handheld gaming market cornered and they always have. Mainly thanks to games like Pokemon, Animal Crossing, and their other tried and true IP. I don't think Sony has that kind of handheld brand power and I don't think third parties that are so used to raw power at their disposal and with their doubts about the handheld market would so easily support another Sony Handheld.

But anything is possible, Nintendo bounced back thus far after Wii U so why not? I'm just saying I don't see what it would add to the market. It'd have to do something so much better than Switch other than graphics to stand out. And when are they planning on launching this thing? If it's by December they're fucked, Mario Odyssey is coming out and possibly a Pokemon game in the months after that. Their priority should be continuing to build the PS4 install base and selling software, not taking risky handheld ventures.