Too early for Next Gen?

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With Nintendo leaking the Wii U, it seems they ran out of fresh ideas for their console. Whereas Sony and Microsoft are still going strongly yet to even need to say about the next gen consoles. Also, Sony say they don't want to get behind a year yet they just did that recently with their PS Vita when the 3DS came out months ago?
See Handheld Consoles are okay since they update after 4 or 5 years but is it too early to consider talks about the next generation of consoles?
Also, I wonder if and when Microsoft will make a handheld console?

I doubt microsoft will try to enter the handheld market anytime soon. They'd have to compete with Nintendo and the iPhones, and possibly even the Vita if it's successful. It's not a good time to swoop in.

It doesn't really feel like they need to update their consoles. I get that Nintendo is doing it. The Wii was growing pretty stale. I don't think there's a particular cry from the public to see new consoles though.

I could see why they might want to release new, more powerful consoles if third parties switch to the WiiU, even if not exclusively. Seems since the Wii was underpowered, it didn't get a lot of otherwise multiplatform games, or at the very least got watered down versions with hardly any fanbase. With the up to date WiiU, I could see it stealing a lot of money.

Yeah, I see all your points.
I do think that they should have had games that were multiple consoles, heck they had the first titled F1 game under codemasters on a home console which became a top racing game with F1 2010 and they did not release it for Wii and for F1 2011, they just had it on the 3DS. I think Nintendo are very imaginative whereas Sony and Microsoft aim for realism hence a Nintendo as it is based on fun compared to their hardcore rivals that gamers want to be challenged and have the games, some feel that Nintendo is aimed at the 25s or younger.

I don't think there's much justification to release new consoles yet. The most taxing games out at the moment for PCs have console ports that run smoothly enough (ie. BF3, Skyrim). You could make an argument that there aren't more taxing games because developers want to make sure their games will scale for a console and reach the larger install base. However, the gap between games running on console and on a mid range PC (the hardware of which will most likely be the basis for future consoles) isn't that significant at this point in time. I'd wager the new generation of hardware from Sony and Microsoft will come mostly as a way to reduce any momentum the Wii U creates rather than because of increasing demand for better hardware.

Looking realistically at the handheld market, nobody is going to be investing heavily into portable gaming that hasn't already established themselves in the market. Nintendo and Sony will make modest profits from their respective devices but neither should be expecting growth from their previous generation of hardware. Nintendo will likely do better than Sony in the short-term because the latter continues to focus on marketing mostly to 20 somethings, who are most likely to migrate to portable gaming on mobile phones.

Mobile phone gaming is the future of the portable gaming market; everyone except Nintendo seems to be fully aware of this. Microsoft is investing heavily into Windows Phone and Sony at least has made some half hearted efforts with the Xperia Play. I'd say when the sales for the Vita start to dwindle, Sony will make further use of the Xperia brand and license Android to use on mobile phones capable of running Vita games. I'd bet money that Sony already have had this planned for the future and most likely designed the Vita with this in mind. It already has a touchscreen, front and rear facing cameras, gyroscope, GPS, 3G, VoIP. It'd be a fairly small matter of licensing the software and creating a phone capable Vita, and having one less competitor in Android.

Mobile Phone Gaming is there as having a Mobile is a necessity and a console is not a necessity as you could live without. Mobiles keep in contact much more quickly and better than relying on any social interacting websites hence the focus on this area.
I don't think that Nintendo are refusing to make a gaming mobile phone, I think they would rather keep them seperated which I think is smart as you are paying for a phone plus the games you want and the contract whether it were PAYG or the Monthly Charge.

Nintendo need a new face, it's all Mario, Link, Metroid, Pokemon, Donkey Kong and other famous Nintendo characters at the moment, they could do with something fresh to make an impact instead of relying on the 80s and 90s characters which have served us well... Don't get of wrong I like those characters but you need a new character and more interaction with the remote, maybe even making a different style of controller or a WiiCam.

To give the devil its due, Nintendo is the company most in need of its 8th generation console system. The Wii's done Nintendo well and has kept in the race, but the system's gone as far as Nintendo can take it both technologically and in regards to software support. The 360 and PS3 have seen numerous updates to improve their systems which in turn have bought them more time to live and flourish in the console market.

In actuality, giving Microsoft and Sony extra time to develop their 8th generation consoles will probably be a good thing. Sony will be looking to learn and rebound from the nightmarish launch PS3 had and Microsoft's getting plenty of consumer input from the rumors that are coming out about their system, especially regarding the "no used/rented/borrowed games" feature that has everyone up in arms.

Nintendo's pulled more than its share of head-scratching moves in the past and getting such a head start on everyone else with the Wii U is no exception. Time will tell if this will be the second coming of either the Wii or the Virtual Boy.