Supposedly the product refreshes are going to start coming in slower now. Where it used to be: release new GPU A -> 6 months -> release refresh of GPU A -> 6 months -> release new GPU B -> 6 months -> release refresh of GPU B... or roughly something like that. I think we're going to start seeing a few more months between product now. So instead of a complete new core about every year or so it's going to be more like 1.5 years.
9800Pro and now the soone to be released 9800XT are still basically 9700's at heart, just refreshes. Only the 9800XT will debut roughly when the 9700 Pro did, and obviously the 9800XT is just such a refresh. It'll be another few months before we see the new cores.