I take your idea and raise a new one; re-release the Gamepad with "new" functions and slap a new name on it. Fool proof!

Handheld gaming is not dying quickly, it lost ground, but the 3DS still stands and a lot of games still make quite a bit of money. And a handheld is a handheld. A tablet would NOT be able to replace the DS or Gameboy line in any way, shape or form.

This will never happen.

OP: I don't think it's happening.

Why couldn't it replace the DS? That's just stupid, I'm sorry. 

I play DS games on my Wii U TABLET controller just fine by the way, same with GBA VC games. 

It's just a form factor, I never understand why some Nintendo fans always act like they're Neo being shown the Matrix for the first time anytime someone suggests Nintendo might do something slightly different (especially when the current strategy isn't even doing that great to begin with, 3DS shipments this year will be Nintendo's lowest handheld shipment in 18 freaking years ... yeah nothing needs to change there). 

The DS/3DS form factor is dated as f*ck too, even to kids it screams out "hey look at this! Remember 2005, this was popular when Britney Spears still had a career." 

Because a Wii U gamepad with resistative touchscreen, buttons, triggers and an ergonomic grip is something entirely different as an Android tablet. And no, the DS form factor is not dated, a lot of kids still have DS' or 3DS'.

@fusioncode
Don't listen to the haters, they are shortsighted.
The next best move for Nintendo is to have a tablet device.
1. as a replacement controller for wiiU
2. to house all the new mobile style games they will be releasing
3. as a platform for new kinds of content that Nintendo currently doesn't deliver
4. amiibo and card battle games (currently the rage in Japan).
5. Growing market
6. control over used games (through digital rights)

There are only so many ways you can be innovative. Doing something other than a watch, phone, tablet, handheld...borders on insanity. Even a watch would be way out there.

What's your guess? 3 screens? A foldable legal paper sized screen? Glasses?

Let's be serious. Having a tablet doesn't mean it isn't innovative. It's what they DO with it that determines innovation.

Nintendo Fusion (NX) could have a tablet, alongside a handheld and a console. But maybe we will get a mixture of a tablet and a handheld.

nah

there is no way it will be a tablet

their next system will NOT have a tablet controller, home console I mean, it will have regular buttons. if they're crossing software between handheld and home console then there is absolutely no way that the systems controls will be very different. expect a much higher powered handheld system but do not expect the traditional button layout to disappear, no way

I agree that there is a strong possibility that they will consider integrating phone use into their next handheld though, sort of like a primarily video game device with an option for primary use for other things too

Nintend would be foolish to do a tablet though, a huge percent of their handheld gamers today are gamers who grew up with traditional layouts in terms of controllers. would cut off a big market of theirs if they went that route

also I gurantee Nintendo will be focusing much less on innovation than on specs in the next generation. well, of course it will be sort of innovative to have a totally streamlined hardware thing with the handheld/console, that will be newish