I came across this article:

http://www.gamerevolution.com/news/xbox-720-to-have-touchscreen-controller-like-wii-u-11067

While I don't give it much credence it got me thinking.   There is nothing stopping Sony or MS from introducing thier own tablet controllers even this late in development as nothing has been announced and 3rd parties are porting to WiiU anyway so added same functionality for PS4/720 games would be little effort.

Plus PS4/720 might have the horsepower to allow 4 simultaneous tablet controllers all having their own images without slowdown.   Finally local multiplayer without having to split the screen.  TRUE asymetric gameplay as all four players can be doing different things completely independant of the TV image.  It could blow WiiU completely out of the water.

I'm not predicting this will happen, but if it does, how does WiiU remain relevant?

The tablet function of Wii U is going to have little to do with the Wii U's success or failure. I would argue that the feature itself is only relevant in its ability to allow some games to be played offscreen, and that the multiplayer features aren't going to be especially decisive.

I don't even want a tablet on the Wii U. I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out why Nintendo thinks hardcore gamers want a giant controller with a touch screen in the middle. All we wants is two joysticks and enough buttons to do the job. I didn't want motion controls and I still wish my Mario, Zelda and Metroid games this gen didn't have them. Nintendo seems to think we are tired of the standard controller. I'm not.

The only thing I'd like to see get added to the next generation is VR like the Oculus Rift. It's the most exciting advancement in interactive entertainment I've seen since the advent of 3D graphics in the 90s.

I dont care about tablets lol. I just want 4 player splitscreen with a minimum of stable 30 FPS on a minimum of 720p.

Im sure this wont be a problem for 720 and Ps4.

viva la vita

MS have the Smartglass and Sony have the Vita, they will go on with that

It isn't like Nintendo is forcing motion onto gamers.  I view it more like Nintendo is offering more options.  When the Wii U releases it will have more different types of control options than any other system at launch.  It will support the Wiimote, Wiimote+nunchuck, Wii U gamepad, Wii U pro controller, Wii balance board and I assume the CCP should still be compatible.  So that is at least 6 different types of control options available at launch.  Also, even if a game supported motion controls (Wiimote+nunchuck) there was usually a classic controller option available for those that didn't want to use the Wiimote+nunchuck.  I'd rather be given more ways to play a game than just given one way to play.

" Is Wii U 'Doomed'?"
Yes, it most certainly is.

nintendo games will make the wiiu relevant. no other company seems to have parents and kids that enjoy their games so much and trust in their quality.

Wii U will have multiple Gamepad support.... so this is a non-issue.

Realistically, MS will not do this but will instead focus on their any tablet idea.

Sony will either copy this directly or copy MS approach with a special inclusion of the Playstation Mobile feature for Android. (and probably later expanded to iOS and WP)