Toshiba to quit HD DVD production – Blu-Ray technology wins
Japan’s Toshiba waved the white flag in the high-definition home movie war on Tuesday, giving up on its HD DVD format after losing the support of key studios and retailers to the Blu-ray technology backed by Sony. Toshiba, which had hoped HD DVD would drive growth in its consumer electronics business, said it would aim to end its HD DVD business by the end of next month.
The decision by the electronics maker ends its battle with a consortium led by Sony over who should set the standard for the next generation of discs, a fight that confused shoppers and stalled a move to the new technology in the $24 billion home DVD market. The Blu-ray win means consumers no longer have to choose between rival incompatible formats and run the risk of being stuck with a 21st century equivalent of Betamax–Sony’s videotape technology that lost out to VHS in the 1980s.
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