Um, what do you mean by "decline"? That the rate of growth has plateaued ( http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38279676/ns/today-today_tech/ )? Or something else?

I'm not trying to be a pissant, I just haven't heard such an opinion before.

True, but the real "alive and wellness" of the PowerPC family is in embedded devices like engine management computers for cars.

I think one of the big reasons behind Apple pulling out of PowerPC was that Intel were developing for the personal computer (and commodity server) aspects of cpu chip use and reacting to the requirements of that market, where Motorola were much more beholden to companies like Ford and Toyota and Hyundai, who wanted long-production-life products for 10year lifespan fuel injection or antilock brake systems. Apple couldn't swing power over the future development roadmap for PowerPC at Motorola in the same way that HP/Compaq/Dell managed with Intel.

That's probably because of the recession, and because the current home consoles were introduced in 2005 and 2006.

With iOS and Android devices, given their faster hardware evolution cycle compare to traditional consoles (1 year vs 8 years), it will only get worse for Nintendo. I think both Sony and MS can adapt better since they have real mobile devices.

People tend to buy consoles when they are newer. This range of consoles have been out for quite a while.