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For six years, the Internet Nexus served as my technology blog, but I've since started blogging at the SuperSite Blog instead. If you're looking for the blog, please head there. --Paul

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Plans nixed for unified next-gen DVD

Reuters:

Groups headed by Toshiba Corp. and Sony Corp. offering competing technologies for next-generation DVDs have given up efforts to develop a unified format, the Yomiuri newspaper reported Tuesday.

For three years, the two groups have pushed to have their respective standards adopted to gain dominance in the multibillion-dollar markets for DVD players, PC drives and optical discs.

Toshiba, along with NEC Corp. and Sanyo Electric Co., has been promoting HD-DVD, while Sony (Research) and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., the maker of Panasonic brand products, have been developing a technology known as Blu-ray.

The two groups have held negotiations on unifying their formats to persuade consumers to shift to advanced discs and to promote industry growth.

But negotiations fell through as neither side yielded, and time ran out to develop a format before the launch of new products from both groups, the newspaper said.

Boobs.

This is a problem that will affect virtually all consumers. It's hard to understate how badly this kind of thing affects industry and standards growth. Even Apple's success with the iPod and iTunes has had a similar stagnating effect on the growth of online music, which still accounts for just a small percentage of all music sold. These companies should hold off on next-gen DVD until a standard can be agreed on. There's absolutely no reason these devices "have" to ship this year.

[ Posted at 12:50 PM | Permalink ]