I don't really get how it's a terrible idea. It's a simple concept to explain: A console you can play at home on a TV, or on the go. It was so simple, they were able to get away with making the reveal only 3 minutes long. Sure, the Wii U did convey its concept with its initial reveal, but in commercials, they weren't able to convey that anymore. It came down to its unique library.
The Switch will definitely be easier to sell and market compared to the Wii U. Heck, even the name is better. Switch tells you exactly what it is. Wii U.... not really at all.
I'm not gonna say the Wii U had a terrible concept either. It had a neat idea with potential, but was never reached and never messaged well. The Switch shouldn't suffer from that.
Also, Nintendo did try to follow the trends with the Gamecube, using CDs and power to boot, but it still sold poorly. It's likely the result of the poor sales of the GC that Nintendo went in a new direction. So the answer's not so easy as to just follow what everyone else was doing. It wouldn't have gotten us the Wii, and likely wouldn't have gotten us the Switch either.
Dance my pretties!
The Official Art Thread - The Official Manga Thread - The Official Starbound Thread
