Blu-ray Stings Competition As Toshiba Bow Out

Toshiba will soon cease production of its high definition DVDs signaling the end of the ongoing battle with Sony-backed rival Blu-ray.
Warner Brothers has become the latest Hollywood studio to support Sony’s Blu-ray format leaving just Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures favouring HD DVD.
Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida said: “It was an agonising decision for me, but I thought if we kept running this business it would have grave ramifications for the management of our company.
“We made a quick decision, judging that there is no way of winning the competition.”
Warner Brother’s defection became 'the straw that broke the camels back' in the decision for Toshiba to abandon HD DVD.
It means an estimated three quarters of new film releases will be available on Blu-ray discs. Other major studios backing Blu-ray include 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney and MGM.
Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer has also announced that it will sell high-definition discs in the Blu-ray format at its 4,000 US stores.
Analysts believe the move will allow Toshiba to focus on other products.
Paul O’Donovan, principal analyst at research firm Gartner said: “The industry can now focus on getting the right product to the consumer, at the right price and in the volumes required.”
Toshiba will continue to supply retailers with HD DVD devices until the end of March this year. After that, the company will continue to provide technical support to the estimated one million people worldwide who own devices.
Toshiba has sold 700,000 HD DVD players worldwide. There are also 300,000 Xbox 360 video game consoles with HD DVD drives.
Toshiba also make HD DVD drives for PCs and laptop computers.
DVD players from South Korean firms LG and Samsung are the only two to play both rival high-definition DVD formats, but they can cost twice as much as single-format players.
(DS)