Matti Robinson
19 Feb 2008 5:42
Toshiba has officially announced that the company will no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders. After many unofficial announcements by different sources, the company has confirmed in a press release that the development of HD DVD has ended. Toshiba will be reducing the shipments of HD DVD players towards the cessation by the end of March 2008.
First reported by the Japanese public broadcaster NHK and after that by a source from Toshiba, Warner and couple of major retailers, such as Best Buy, Netflix and Wal-mart, dropping HD DVD was too much for the camp. Toshiba promises that it will still provide full product support and after-sales service for all owners of Toshiba HD DVD products.
"While we are disappointed for the company and more importantly, for the consumer, the real mass market opportunity for High Definition content remains untapped and Toshiba is both able and determined to use our talent, technology and intellectual property to make digital convergence a reality," said Atsutoshi Nishida, President and CEO of Toshiba Corporation.
In the press release Toshiba assures that, as a member of DVD Forum, the dropping of their high-definition format will not affect the commitment to DVD. The company also said it will look forward to working with their HD DVD partners, naming Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, Microsoft, Intel, and HP.