Toshiba has refused to confirm speculation that it is set to pull the plug on its HD-DVD platform, but has announced that it is “currently assessing its business strategies”.
Media reports this weekend suggested Toshiba was planning to cease HD-DVD production, and hailed Sony and its Blu-ray technology as the victors in the high-definition format war.
However, in a brief statement Toshiba has moved to quell the speculation - for now.
“The media reported that Toshiba will discontinue its HD-DVD business. Toshiba has not made any announcement concerning this. Although Toshiba is currently assessing its business strategies, no decision has been made at this moment.”
According to Reuters, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that the format war was over as Toshiba, which has been struck by the defection of most of the major film studios to Sony-backed Blu-ray, prepared to cease HD-DVD production. The report said that Toshiba would continue to sell existing HD-DVD products at stores but not invest further resources in product development.
Should Toshiba withdraw from the format war the firm is expected to suffer losses amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.
Rumors have begun to circulate that Microsoft, which backed the Toshiba format with the release of an Xbox 360 HD-DVD player, has already configured a standalone Blu-ray drive for Xbox 360, while a new 360 with an in-built Blu-ray player is also said to be in the works.
Microsoft has previously said that the success of the HD-DVD format is not critical to the long-term fortunes of the Xbox 360, noting that it would consider releasing a Blu-ray player for the system should the technology be victorious over Toshiba’s format.
Monday 18 February 2008
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