They already do in a weird way as I wouldn't mind not having a cable box as internet + gaming = win

If true it would be nice to eliminate the cable box with a console but I don't see that as being the major driver of consoles. Nintendo will be in a nice position of being the one system that is sub 300 dollars and has zero monthly fees assoociated with it.  What sells more high end smart phones or cheap smartphones and feature phones???

smart phones

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/26/more-smartphones-sold_n_3165151.html

Manufacturers shipped 216 million smartphones worldwide in the first three months of this year, compared with 189 million regular cellphones, according to a study IDC released late Thursday. IDC said smartphones made up 51.6 percent of the 419 million mobile phones shipped.

this will only work well in usa, the ps4 should do quite better outside off it, which will make up the lost ground

Fuck overpriced cable. Hulu+ and Netflix is what I use and at least I don't have to pay extra to access them. Also there is a thing called Nintendo TVii.

True.. but i also included cheap smartphones in my original statement..  But regardless.  If Sony and Microsoft share 51.6 percent and Nintendo has 48% Nintendo wins.

lol at people that pay for overpriced cable.

it doesn't work that way. 

What it comes down to is price. as most things usually do. depending on how ms does this they may actually be the cheapest console, in the united states at least. Most cable providers already charge a monthly fee for use of DVR or HD cable boxes. So replacing it with an xbox with a monthly fee wouldn't cost consumers any more money.  If they can do a 100 or less entry fee and than 15-20 a month to the cable company I think it can be a great mover. If they charge a normal console price and a monthly fee i dont think it will.

I think to some extent it does work that way. Sony and Microsoft make competing products and Nintendo makes something cheaper and different. In the mind of consumers (not including us who buy multiple systems) they think do I want Nintendo or do I want Microsoft or Sony. That's the first decision that is made. Even if 70% choose Sony or Microsoft Nintendo still has a 30% share and Sony and Microsoft end up wiht 35% each.

In terms of cable.  Typically cable is more like 50 to 100 a month for hd cable programming at least here in Canada. There is a major trend of people cancelling cable and just streaming what they want. If anything a cable deal benefits the cable company more than Microsoft. The other factor is that cable users are in conracts already so there is a delayed effect before many people could even consider an upgrade to a nextbox. Cable would help microsoft but not by as much as one might think.  If they are the only ones to have a cable box deal i say it doesn't effect Nintendo much but it hurts Sony like bluray hurt Microsoft. Nintendo is a different thought process. It's not an either or thing. If people want a Nintendo system no matter what other technology they have they will purchase it. It's cheap enough and they are buying it for Nintendo games.

I was refering to your comment that smart phone sales compared to regular cell phone sales some how compares to this. MS/Sony arent smart phones and Nintendo arent regular phones. its a silly comparison and you cant draw too many conclusions from it.

You misunderstand the idea of the cable box. MS is not going to be a cable provider. You will still pay for regular cable service. Most companies in additon to that charge 10-20 per box per month for HD cable boxes or DVR cable boxes(or make you purchase your own box at a one time fee). If I can use the next box in place of that i wll either save that money per month, or the noxt box will be subsidized by it and be cheaper and i will pay the same fee i am paying. so it may make it cheaper than the wii u. we will not know until they anounce the pricing and functions.

The same can be said for all three sytems. but they compete for the same consumers. they always have and always will.