The Sony PS Vita was released back in 2012 but it was only in 2014 that the company actually make some design changes in which the console was slimmed down. However could it be that Sony is already thinking about a new PS Vita design? Perhaps because according to sightings, it seems that Sony has trademarked the design of a possible new PS Vita over in Japan.
As you can see in the diagram above, the design of this particular PS Vita does not look too different from the current model. However it has been pointed out by NeoGAF user Jignx that there is an addition of a HDMI port. Also the description of the trademark seems to suggest that Sony will not be returning to the use of an OLED display as it has been described as a “portable LCD screen game machine controller.”
That being said a trademark might not necessarily mean that Sony will release an updated version of the Vita. Also while the design might look similar, Sony could be giving the console a refresh under the hood with some new hardware, kind of like what Nintendo did with their latest 3DS consoles in which the design remained largely similar, but saw improvements made to its performance.