Japan will be what decides this next gen.

Nintendo will be around, not sure about Sony. There are two parts of me when it comes to Sony, on the one hand I want them to be there, but at the same time I want them to focus on their home console and bring out the best they can from it. If they can do that and still release a handheld then I will be happy.

If anything handhelds will last longer than consoles.

Hell Nintendo's next handheld might be a handheld/console hybrid.

thats something bold to say, could you explain your point? 

With things like Ouya and Steambox popping up, we might see Sony/MS try going with a upgradeable console or even intergrating them with TV's/media centers.  What MS goes with the next Xbox has a lot going with my opinion.

So DEDICATED consoles might be going the way of the dodo, but still has many years to go before we get to that point.

Handhelds are feeling the squeeze from smartphones/tablets but the 3DS's success proves there is still demand for that type of market.  Next gen handhelds are quite up in the air though, but a DEDICATED handheld should still be around at least for 1 more gen after this one.

I hope not. I like physical buttons when gaming and portability. Phones and tablets just don't do it for me.

would those sitll be considered consoles though? i mean could it be considered the evolution of consoles?

Edited my post to reflect that.

No. I think Nintendo will keep making dedicated ones. I think they will do it for as long as they can.

I think Sony might, but it will be like: Playstation Phone to compete with phones, and if they make a dedicated it would be large to compete with tablets. Ps vita would be too small for them, haha. If the ps vita continues poorly I think they are just going to stop and focus on phones, if it somehow recovers...they will make the tablet competitor.

i predict 3ds lifetime sales at 100 mil, and there will be a succsesor. I predict sony will pull out of the hand held market.

No they will always exist