I think it would be the best thing for Nintendo to do. OMG that would be SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You ask a lot of questions!

My answer is no. A phone compromises everything. Size, button layout, battery life... It will kill the DS. And if sony do the same, it'll kill the psp too.

if i remember correctly, nintendo makes video games

Maybe if they created a separate platform, I don't think it works as a DS and I don't think it's wise to end the DS, either.

Nintendo systems are about gaming first, and adding a phone functionality would severely undermine that. Then there's the whole hassle the consumer will have to go through just to get one, like picking a plan, provider, etc.

In short, not gonna happen.

First adding the cellphone radio chips will up the cost. Good chips the ones we except will jump the price by a signifgant amount. Instead Nintendo is waiting for world wide Internet. Then they will just use some Skype/WiiSpeak varient. Nintendo won't do phone becuase it would require purchase of the device and purchase of individual service. While yes Internet would cost fees, you would still be able to play games over the Internet. As it is playing multiplayer games using cellphones aren't that cheap. ok depending on your country and plan.

Iwata has expressed interest in 3G information systems, but i don't think Nintendo would make a phone. The most you could look to would be a 3G compatible device that isn't a phone, and isn't bound to a contractual provider plan.

not yet, the costs associated with it are too high

No, there are enough silly phones out there now. Modern phones suck, they have fifty million functions and do all of them half-assed. I'd rather buy a console for playing games and a camera for taking pictures etc.

A 3DS phone would undoubtedly be too bulky to be usable, have poorer battery life than a standalone handheld and might compromise features of the regular version.