Technology research and analysis firm iSuppli expects shipments of handheld consoles to grow to 63.5 million units by 2013, generating revenues of $8.1 billion.

That compares to 49.4 million units shipped in 2008 and revenues of $5.9 billion, the company said in a recent report.

"The global market for handheld videogame systems is set to buck weak conditions in the global consumer electronics market and rise by 4.9 percent in units and 8.2 percent in revenue during 2009, due to moves by Sony and Nintendo to freshen up their products," said iSuppli, referring to the 2008 introduction of Sony’s PSP-3000 and the April 2009 launch of Nintendo’s DSi.

"While the long-term growth rate isn’t staggering by any means, Nintendo’s and Sony’s platform revisions should keep their portable game console shipments growing until they are able to roll out next-generation handheld platforms."

iSuppli doesn’t expect either platform holder to introduce next-generation handhelds until 2011 at the earliest.

“However, if both companies had introduced true next-generation platforms, the level of growth in 2009 and beyond would have been much higher,” it added, as “most consumers will hold off on any purchase or upgrade until a next-generation handheld gaming device is available.”