People need to stop with the "Nintendo wouldn't do that" nonsense.

This is a new Nintendo it has been since Iwata passed away, really probably before then when they announced they would make smartphone games. The old timers like Miyamoto are not as involved with the decision making these days either. 

People said Nintendo wouldn't do paid DLC ... wrong. Wouldn't do smartphone games. Wrong. Wouldn't do a hybrid console because there must be distinct home console and portable systems. Wrong. Wouldn't do gatcha style smartphone transactions. Wrong. Wouldn't do paid online. Wrong.

Nintendo does a lot of things today that would've been unthinkable really 3 years ago even. IMO Switch is going to adopt an Apple like hardware policy where you are going to see a lot of hardware refreshes. Sony/MS already opened that door with PS4 Pro and XBox One X too ... those are making a lot of money and keeping hardware sales for those lines strong into their 6th+ year. Don't think Nintendo didn't notice (the same way they noticed paid online makes Sony + MS a a shit ton of money).

Consumers by and large *want* hardware upgrades, people expect it today, it's not 1998 anymore. PS4 Pro, XB1X have been resoundingly successful, a Switch Pro is inevitable, so is a Switch Lite/Slim, wouldn't surprise me if both are 2019. It makes MONEY, having a premium top end hardware class + lower end mid-tier makes a lot money. It does for Apple, it is for Sony, it is for Microsoft, Nintendo is not stupid. They know they can make good money doing the same type of thing. This will be more than just a DS Lite/3DS XL type refresh too. 

Yay, time to speculate!
Switch+ and switch-, both with improved processors (smaller transistors?)
Switch+ would have the same size, and improve the screen to 1080 and let it a little larger. Runs the dock preset on portable mode (you can optionally turn of to drain less battery), better screen and larger battery. Still 300$. Marketed as the improved version of switch.
Switch- would be smaller and slimmer and controls attached, with the better battery. Comes with a mini dock (finally a official release of a nintendo made mini dock). Runs only portable preset, even when is on dock. 200$. Marketed for portable players and second switch for those who already have one. All acessories work.
The current switch would be priced at 250$.

Gamers are too attached to past trends and always forget to analise current situations and possible future scenarios based on these present trends.Its not because that the DS and 3DS had multiple revisions and SKUs that the Switch will have one.Its not because that the Switch have mobile components that Nintendo will treat it more like a handheld than a home console(Data shows that the use betwenn both modes are about equal).Look at what is currently happening, not only looking at what happened already.

What is happening already:Nintendo heavily markets and develop games that uses both modes, not to mention that they market the hardware as a hybrid.What does that mean: They wont jeoparfize that vision, that focus just to have a small bump in profits.It would hurt the long term strategy and thus, the viability of the system.If they make a Switch that has no detachable joycons and its not made to dock in mind(Home console), you are severely limiting not only the Switch potential, because you are offering a worse product at the cost of little gain(The cut in costs of production would be really small), but you are potentially fracturing its own audience, due to games wither having necessity of the joycons being separated from the hardware itself, or just because of games that are played better on the TV rather than the small screen on the system.You could say that they could simply buy the acessories separetely, but then thats an extra cost, and its a hard pill for the consumer to swallow, given that they would feel that they are not getting the full experience.

Plus, your example with the myriad of 3DS revisions is simply not good.When the 3DS did have its downgrade, the 2DS, it never fundamentally hurted the 3DS appeal or system.You still played the same games, in the only way they could be played.You would lose the 3D sure, but the 3D never added anything fundamentally essential to the games, and thus it made no real difference.The Switch is quite the contrary, you are literally robbing its customer 50% of the system appeal if you make it purely a home console or a handheld console.It would make Nintendo life a living hell:It would make the Switch that much harder to market, it would muddle the Switch message and meaning to the overall market, some games would not function with certain SKUs, or simply would not be as good as they should have been because they were more envisioned to be played in a certain way, and so on.

And yet Pokemon Lets go is happening later this year, and so hardware revision is to be seen.I know its not a core title, but Nintendo and the Pokemon Company are trying their hardest to make it sell like one.Animal Crossing has its best selling titles in handheld systems, but that never stopped the home consoles games selling well too(City Folk sold close to 5 million in the Wii according to VGC).Stop looking sorely on the past.Records and cultures are set because someone decided to take the first step somewhere along the way, and Nintendo is the most famous company in the industry to innovate.

Plus, let me ask you this question:Why do you think that its easier to have a cheaper option by making a new SKU, rather than simply dropping the price on the SKU that, for as far as we know, is probably using the cheapest parts possible for the performance Nintendo was going for?

I agree. But I think Switch Pro will arive in 2020 or 2021. In 2019 we may see Switch Lite and price cut.

No, it wouldn't fracture the audience. Normal joycons would of course stay 100% compatible and you can buy them later as accessories, if you want or need them for some games (and save that money if you don't want to play these few games with mandatory joycon input)

Just like Switch owners buy an optional Pro controller since Switch launch if they want it for some games. WIthout the Pro controller you don't get the full experience either. Without the Retro NES Joycons you don't get the full experience either.

I actually giving points based on current and past situation. Do you want to bet that Switch will have more than one revision?

Over 95% of games would still work in both modes in any case, and actualy if Switch Mini/Pocket has support for Joy Cons that would mean same support. They dont jeoparfize anuthing, main vision behind Switch is unifed platform, supporting and making games just for one platform instead of two difrent platforms like before, Switch Mini/Pocket, current Switch, Switch Pro, or even Switch TV, would be all part of same platform. Much more afordible Switch that would primarly targeting kids, families, casuals and actual Nintendo goal itself off on device per person, is not small profit gain, it would be huge profit because we talking about probably most important market for Nintendo. Again, you are not limiting anuthing, you have simple more offers from same platform for difrent type of users. Costs save wouldnt be small at all, smaller Switch, less parts, smaller screen, no dock, probably no JoyCons and built in controls, no HDMI cable, smaller package, smaller shipping costs...I talking around $100 price point difrence compared to regular Switch. Of Course they would probably buy accessories separately, and Nintendo was doing those similar things from N64 until 3DS, some N64 games required Expansion Pack, some DS games could be played only on DSi, some Wii games could be played only with Remote+, some 3DS games could be played only New 3DS, not even on 2DS was released after New 3DS, talking about extrat cost Nintendo even released 3DS on sale without charger in package in order to offer lower price point, but at end point is simple, different types of hardware and different price points for difrent type of consumers. You talking about full expariance, if someone wants full expariance he can just buy more regular Switch, if someone dont want full experience and want more handheld experience and more affordable Switch, he will buy more Switch Mini/Pocket, if some one wants best experience that Switch offers he will buy most higher price option Switch Pro.

Like I wrote, main point of 3DS is 3D, and they ditch that option and even completely changed DS design in order to have much more affordable offer of 3DS family. No, actualy you cant play all 3DS games on 2DS, some 3DS games work only on New 3DS. I already explained about why all that wouldn't be any problem for Switch, current Switch would still be main product, but you will had low price option and hither price option.

Yes, they could make Pokemon Lets Go this year but full next gen Pokemon game can be finished next year, and it would be too early in any case to release hardware revision only after one year. City Folk sold close to 5 million in the Wii that had 101m install base and yet New Leaf sold 12m on 70m install base on 3DS. I dont looking sorley on the past I looking in future, and Nintendo will soon need low price option if they want agresivly to target kids, families, casuals and actual Nintendo goal itself off on device per person.

Simple because new version of hardware would make them cut costs much more and that means much more afordible price point, and simple because current Switch is not most practical for people that preferring handheld play and espacily not most practical for kids. Why you think Nintendo released 2DS and not just onother 3DS clamshell redesign, because they made huge costs cut with 2DS and thats why 2DS is much more afordible than classic 3DS even than 2DS XL, and 2DS design is far more practical and durable for kids than 3DS.

I'd expect a model designed to bring the price down, but that might not mean any drastic changes - I don't think Nintendo will want to splinter the market and remove the modular nature of the Switch by, for example, releasing a 'handheld only' version. Manufacturing yields and nips and tucks in design could easily help them bring the shelf price down a little without making any radical changes to the device.

What interests me is that WSJ report that the hardware refresh is coming about because Nintendo are concerned about Switch's sales momentum. While a redesign was inevitable at some point, 2019 feels slightly too early to me - I thought 2020 was a lock, especially given major sellers like Mario Bros, Animal Crossing and Pokemon are already scheduled for 2019, and we've yet to see what Super Mario Party, Pokemon Let's Go and Smash Ultimate do for hardware sales. I think we'll have a much better indication of whether or not a redesign is coming by the end of the month, when Nintendo release Q2 numbers. If Switch shipments are down or flat on last year, then it's entirely possible Nintendo are concerned the system is losing momentum.

However, that would just show Nintendo are still all over the place in their thinking - Switch hasn't had a major system selling release for 12 months now. Are Nintendo seriously surprised they lost some momentum by leaning on ports, experimental software and middle-tier games for a year? Are they really going to schedule a hardware redesign without waiting to see how the next six months go? Switch could generate a huge amount of momentum over the next few months, especially if Mario Party and Bros sell strongly alongside Pokemon and Smash. Maybe this redesign is part of the plan to get multiple Switch systems in each household, but if it's a reaction to slowing sales, then I'd be a bit concerned, because it suggests Nintendo still don't understand that they need to release their major titles consistently and evenly throughout the year to maintain a strong baseline.

Let's see what happens at the Q2 results, anyway.

An improved Switch is the most reasonable option.

Price wise, if the improved version is more expensive, then, by comparison, the Switch OG model would look cheaper. And with time, with lowering price you'd eventually reach another audience without the need to compromise your future.
An improved version would, in theory, allow for more multiplats and ports to arrive to the system.

A mini version that makes it a handheld is the same as rejecting what make the Switch a success, it would also make it seem like an inferior product. Why should people opt for a mini version when they can't get the best experience on the original Switch? The potential of a such a model would be limited by default.
Not to mention how certain games would be affected by the fact you wouldn't be able to detach the controllers.

One of the main reasons that made Wii U fail was poor comunication.
Having the communicate that you have two devices that do not work the same would sound messy and awkward. Not the best thing when you want to market multiple products.

I would love to see source of that claim that Nintendo is losing momentum, that's definitely taken out of context. 

Nintendo is releasing revision because Switch is loosing momentum but simple because they always had handheld revisions around 2 yeas after launch (and Switch is esantualy handheld hardware), and most likly to offer lower price point in order to have much bigger appealing on market among families, kids and casuals, because Switch still has only one higher price point for that market, especially when 3DS that actually covers that price point is dying.

You do realise you dont make any sense again!? Buy your point Pro and X would need to be best selling option of PS4/XB1 because they offer best experience for PS4/XB1. Low price option has much higher potential for sales than higher price option, with lower price option Switch will be much more popular among kids, families and casuals that actualy one of most impoartant part of market. There is reason why Nintendo released very low price option for 3DS in form of 2DS, 2DS is selling very well.