AFAIC Tascam Portastudio is totally legit and can be used to produce expert quality commercial sound recordings. If you know what you're doing all the tools are there. It's that simple. Using effect sends allow me to get signal processing from any outboard gear I choose, or from any VST, or VSTi , I choose.
The portastudios are open systems and 1/4 compatibility never gets old.
But..... It would be nice to have HDMI out so band members, and others who want to spectate can see what's going on. Also it would make producing Youtube videos, and other types of presentations a lot easier.
I do think a new Portastudio is coming, because there is a major trend (has been for a few years now) on hardware MTRs. Now that storage media is more or less stable, and SoC are so powerful and DAW mania has finally fizzled out. Yamaha, Presonus, Behringer, Midas, Tascam, Peavy, DigiCo, etc are all making digital mixers with MTR capability. All that's missing is Track edit and that will be a wrap. These mixers are posing major competition for the Audio Interfaces out there. The Tascam Model 12 has single handedly shutdown the focus rite LOL