Hrm, interesting, but I don't think this would be a make-or-break thing for most people. For most people, it's going to always come down to games and price... right now, I think the confirmed schedule is for a price cut in March, so the combination of that and a new model will probably help move some units.
I've had my Vita for a few months and absolutely love it, but most people seem to need more convincing than I did.