The rumor that it is a platform and not a console could mean that they could update firmware to make the Wii U compatible or the 3DS compatible. Let's say they update the handheld first. The new handheld is around as powerful as the Wii U, however, the screen is smaller and the OS is crazy efficient, so that the CPU and RAM usage is better. Now imagine if Nintendo do this and then upgrade the Wii U allowing the new NX platform/OS to be installed on the current Wii U while making memory usage more efficient and adding the immediate benefit of cross platform compatibility using the new handheld has a secondary tablet controller, adding system wide voice chat in the OS so that it is compatible with all games and much more...while still being able to play Wii U games. I believe all this is possible. That would give Nintendo a chance to have another year with Wii U on the market with some final games being released on the system. It gives Nintendo a year for the new handheld to be out, and for Nintendo to update and fix any unforeseen problems with the new OS before the big console release. Then in 2017, Nintendo can release a new console...it will be affordable but powerful, capable of playing Wii U games, the new portable games, and finally the new console games.