There will be more models of Switch than there is of the 3DS (currently sits at 5 different models after 6 years) and the revisions for Switch will be more than cosmetic/size changes in some cases too IMO.

So I mean if you don't like the current Switch, I bet there will be a model at some point that's for you, having said that I still think the "3DS clamshell" version is for a minority market, just like the Apple fans who were asking for a 4-inch iPhone that no one ended up buying.

When you put a bigger screen version next to the small screen version and try them both out, it becomes obvious the bigger screen version is better IMO. Even kids won't want the small version.

I definitely think there will be a cheaper switch-mini that gets down to normal handheld prices of $200 or less. Don't sell the dock or controller grip with it, get rid of the dead space on the left and right of the screen to make it less wide, make it a bit thinner and lighter, sell for $200, eventually dropping to $150 to really pick up the portable crowd.

And also a Switch-pro with a bigger harddrive, a bit more powerful so that switch games run smoother or at a higher resolution compared with the original Switch or maybe just get extra effects if the developer chooses, the height/width would be the same but they could increase the screen size by probably an inch to fill in the plenty of dead space the Switch currently has around the screen, and maybe pack in more batteries. Sell it for $300 after you drop the original Switch to $250.

Switch could take over if they do this right. Its the perfect system to play everythign from simple casual mobile style touchscreen games, to small handheld style games, to huge epic console experiences, from home or from anywhere any time.

I heard that argument before.

"The price of the PS3 components is going to come down over time, so it isn't necessary to remove parts (backward compatibility hardware, memory card slots, 2 USB-slots...)."

"The price of the Xbox One components is going to come down over time, so it isn't necessary to remove parts (Kinect)."

"The price of the PS4 Pro components is going to come down over time, so it isn't necessary to keep the normal PS4 in stock as an cheaper option."

The sooner they can offer a low-cost model to attract additional target groups (price-sensitive people, people only interested in the handheld part, people only interested in playing at home) the better.

Nintendo will want to keep a model at $300 constantly IMO. Older models can scale down in cost, but $300 is an attractive price point and allows Nintendo to earn higher profit margins.

It's the same thing with Sony, they want to keep a model at $399.99, because they make more money that way.

It's how Apple makes so much money, they don't devalue their product by letting it drop in price, they get people used to spending that same amount, they just keep moving in new model refreshes at those price points.

If you are right about there not being another Vita, then great, one factor that Nintendo won't have to worry about, but I bet Sony is already churning ideas on how to pull a Switch on the switch with what they have learned by developing the Vita/Playstation design.  They might try to surprise us.  Usually any successful concept Nintendo creates, Sony has incorporated within a couple of years.  Especially since the Switch looks almost like a Vita with detachable sides.  These companies don't just end ideas because another company succeeds at something. 

Developers have consistently run from Nintendo in the past due to simple changes in philosophy or not going with the flow of game industry trends.  The DS took almost 2 years to really start getting 3rd party support because developers didn't know what to do with it and questioned Nintendo's direction.  With N64, the choice to stay with cartridges was baffling to a lot of developers who wanted to follow Square and EA's lead into larger storage space and a more mature direction.  The N64 lost nearly all support as PSX gained it and, in turn, popularity. When Sony entered the handheld market, the attractive addition of power again drew a lot of developers immediately who thought Sony would monopolize Nintendo like they did with PS2.  The 3DS also started off rough and lost a lot of support again, taking another year of sales and contesting developer caution, after the price drop, to really recapture the frequency of title releases the DS acquired.  Developers are always finicky and very very hesitant to support any Nintendo system that tries something new.  Any change scares a good 80% of the bigger development teams away.  That is one reason why they love the consistency of the Xbox and Playstation strategies.  It is just more and more power with a few added frills here and there.  Nothing tricky, always sells, big company names and budget, i.e. dependable.  The appeal of tablets and phones as platforms is yet another growing concern, especially now that the Switch looks like just a tablet with wings.  Many developers have already been throwing weight in the mobile/tablet basket due to high userbase and increasing mobile tech.  With mobile games, money flows in even with the simplest of games, so development commitment is minimal.  Why develop on a potentially risky platform, spending more development resources with less return?  Sure it is more complicated than that, but the trend is to avoid Nintendo until proven unavoidable.

Yeah the Switch is priced perfectly right now for a new system. It certainly doesn't need to do anything for at least the next probably year and a half, it'll probably have great sales. But by 2019 they need to get the price down to start getting those 3ds gamers to switch over. That's why I think a slightly smaller mini switch that is sold without a dock and controller grip for $200 will be a good addition in the next two years once they can release it for $200

Nah.  Just someone who has grown up watching the industry from the beginning.  I've been a reviewer and editor for game sites; used to be a member of this forum.  Missed you guys and seeing current industry movement has gotten me fired up. haha.

There's no benefit to not releasing many iterations of hardware these days, especially mobile hardware. If you're not releasing a lot of iterations you're simply leaving money on the table.

IMO though I have some doubts about Nintendo releasing a Switch without proper Joycon support. They want people buying those Joycons, they probably have some controllers specific to games in development too that are dependant on the modular Joycon design of the Switch. 

http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/post.php?id=7886980

It is always smart to offer a product in variations for different price points to maximize the target group... different people want/prioritize different things.

Home consoles did this with bundled accessories (dock, headset, second controller, game...) and especially different HDD sizes: Xbox 360 Core/Premium/Elite (0 GB - 120 GB at first, up to 500 GB later), PS3 (20 - 80 GB at first, 4 GB - 500 GB later), Wii U Basic/Premium (8 - 32 GB)

Smartphones and tablets still ride that internal memory wave, but except of the Vita all home and handheld consoles now support non-proprietary HDDs or SD-cards, so the initial HDD/flash size ain't that important anymore.

Nintendo did successfully set different price points of the DS and 3DS lines with the form factor, Sony and Microsoft are trying it with console models suited to different resolutions.

Actually you don't get it, point of Switch will be offer more options for buyers, not everyone are willing to pay $250-300 for Switch, not everyone needs TV mode, some people want smaller and more practical Switch.

They will need lower price point when 3DS dies ($150-200) that will effectively replace price point that 3DS currently holds, and that's much more important than actually having more expensive Switch.

There is no need for bigger screen than 6.2", 6.2" is already very big screen for handheld, cheaper and smaller Switch would sell much better than even bigger and more expensive Switch.

Nintendo will definitely need cheaper and smaller version of Switch first when 3DS dies in order to replace 3DS price point on market, not more expensive version of Switch.