Considering the next handheld is coming in 2011 and Wii is still selling strong, it wouldn't be too smart to release the next gen console that year. 2012 should be the very earliest.

Incorrect.

Before the Gamecube launched, in an interview with Peter Main, he was asked if Nintendo would lose as much per console sold as Sony was rumored to be losing on PS2 (over $100), to which he replied "not that much", indicating that they were taking a small loss in the beginning...

Ah, you make a good point.

But! That's all in the past. Remember who was the big cheese at Nintendo back then? Yamauchi. Remember how things had been going ever since the NES? Downhill. Remember who's in charge now? Iwata. Things have changed ever since he took over. For the best, I might add. And selling a system at a loss goes against every single thing Iwata's ever iterated since he became the head honcho. If there's one thing Nintendo have learned from the transition from last gen to this one, and the way it's played out, it's that profitability is key.

interesting thread, with strategical and technical discussion. although
many questions will remain open at least until EEE

we can tell there is a trend getting profiled in the poll's result.

we know they have the next console ready, doing final adjustments and waiting for
the right timing. iwata's words of last year.

as a strategic approach i would say the better timing for doing something
is when you do not need to do it, so you do what you want the very way you want.

does nintendo need to do it now? ... i dont think so

what are the benefits of launching a console right now?.... mastery is the prize, if
they want to consolidate leadership it might be better kill the move/natal baby in
the very womb, or they can let move/natal live one year or two and reduce the production
cost of next console and kill the one year child. who knows?!

would it be the end of current generation? ... what if they are not doing a "horsepower" (i like that expression)
improved game system? What if they are thinking more on creating a deeper, more immersive experience?

as i understand this company, they are doing a movement of bringing video game to everybody, not only for
gamers. which is by the way a very beautiful move. vg now is popular not a children or nerd entertainment any more

in my humble opinion they are going to replace wii soon to consolidate an advanced leadership. the improvements would be on the experience, more accessible (even easier to play), without the horsepowers unless they are cheap. Health will be a major.

I dont see any Wii 2 before 2012, i would suggest Dec 2012.

Ah, about the Loss-selling business model, Nintendo i dont remember that interview, but i think the Game Cube at U$199 was not being sold at a lost.

I do remember when the GCN began to fade, Ninty droped its price to U$99 and in some countries they bundled it with Mario Kart and the Zelda Collector´s Edition.

Those times were very hard for Ninty, they even had their first quarter with red numbers for its entire life.

Good points yourself. 

I just pray that Iwata may have a slight change of heart in the face of the success and large profits they've made with the Wii.

I hope they come next gen with a monster game like Wii Sports.

The graphics shall be something slightly better then PS3 maybe. Or even lower.
I might not care about graphics that much if a flagship innovation comes with the console.

Nintendo should keep the specs a complete secret so that their competitors' PR people can tell everyone how capable the hardware is.

Advantages: This saves Nintendo's PR department some time and money in the short term.

Disadvantages: This causes Nintendo's PR department lots of stress in the long term, trying to think of civil rebuttals for all the bullshit that stuck.

None of the above, their next system should not be too powerful as it would be too expensive and too much power isn't needed, and those dates are too soon, they should launch with just good enough hardware