Or maybe it's because consoles don't hold the same value as smartphones in the market.

Smartphones are basically general purpose devices that can be used for many things in peoples' daily lives. Consoles are not.

Because there's more to a gaming system than percentages. Thankfully it appears to be only a minority of enthusiasts who put any stock in these things.

Personally I'm in it for the games, but it seems as if there's quite a lot of folks that's in it for the graphics

Games are composed of various assets, visuals are one of them. Better hardware allows for better visuals, whether they be realistic or stylised. If someone tells you they don't care about graphics they're lying. When Nintendo shows of the new zelda and Mario I'm sure we'll all be blown away, such a response will reaffirm that we care about asthetics. You are right though, numbers do not mean anything, all that matters is that you like what you're presented. 

Mario Galaxy is still the best looking 3D platformer of this gen in my opinion.

I'd rather have Sony wait until Holiday 2014 and release a $400 PS4 that is ~8x more powerful than the PS3 instead of releasing one holiday 2013 and at $400 and it being only 4-5x more powerful.

Of course GAMES are the most important part of it, but if next-gen consoles are going to last 7+ years again, I'd rather have one that is completely future proof.  I want to be playing a PS4 game in 2020 and still be wowed by not only the graphics but the gameplay.

There really is no such thing as a future-proof electronic device. There is no money to be made by selling you a product that doesn't make you open your wallet again; this is marketing doublespeak for the purpose of putting an arm around your shoulder and reassuring you that this company has your back. The next playstation will probably make way for a PS5, just as we are somehow speculating on a replacement for the future-proof PS3.

On a similar note: there is little to stop you firing up a game from 8 years ago and being impressed. This is a phenomenon which can happen even in spite of current technology and production values. Gaming has spent a good while building a tall, narrow mansion; now it's time to build some wings to display and ponder all the art it has collected.

Future Proof doesn't necessarily mean it will never be obselete, just that it will remain relevant even when the market changes and evolves around it. The PSP is proof of this in Japan, its capacity for decent 3D graphics means its still getting massive exclusives and brand new titles being announced for 2013 (possibly part of the Vita's weak sales over there). Those who bought it in 2005 are definitely getting their moneys worth, of course this applies to the japanese owners only lol 

Market changes are difficult to predict, though, and relevance is something which hardware designers have little control over once a design has been committed to the production line. After that, it's all in the fate of marketers, publishers and consumers. Unfortunately, enthusiasts have a dangerous amount of influence before production even begins, and in an effort to please those who demand the most, there tends to be phenomena such as feature creep. When the vocal minority are listened to, we get discussions about how a product might not appeal to a nebulous group whose importance is overstated.

This could be one reason why the PSVita is in the position it is in. It could have even been released much too early - particularly in regions where the PSP still flourishes - but since your point highlights a regional trend, it could also hint at another conundrum where certain types of hardware are only appealing in certain regions. Staggering or withholding releases on a regional basis brings a whole lot of new headaches, and further highlights that a plan for longevity is not one which can ever be finalised.

lol, digital trends (or at least that writer) is so bias. Notice how he puts a negative spin on every related Sony story as evidenced by this one http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/sony-opens-a-whole-new-playstation-store-on-oct-17/

It's good that the PS4 may launch in 2013, but I'd take whatever that guy writes with grain of salt.

Of course the studios are getting stretched, They have to make games for 3 platforms and working with brand new powerful hardware (PS4) can't be a simple task either.