Toshiba Throws In The Towel - HD-DVD Is Gone

Toshiba has finally given up and thrown in the towel over it’s HD-DVD format and is bowing to the popularity of Sony’s Blu-Ray. In and announcement today Toshiba stated that:

TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has undertaken a thorough review of its overall strategy for HD DVD and has decided it will no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders. This decision has been made following recent major changes in the market. Toshiba will continue, however, to provide full product support and after-sales service for all owners of Toshiba HD DVD products.

HD DVD was developed to offer consumers access at an affordable price to high-quality, high definition content and prepare them for the digital convergence of tomorrow where the fusion of consumer electronics and IT will continue to progress.

“We carefully assessed the long-term impact of continuing the so-called ‘next-generation format war’ and concluded that a swift decision will best help the market develop,” said Atsutoshi Nishida, President and CEO of Toshiba Corporation. “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.”

Microsoft may not be to happy since they supported the Toshiba HD-DVD format on their X-Box 360. Though they won’t state so as of yet, they will have to support Blu-Ray as well.

Complete article is here.

Comments welcome.

[tags]toshiba, hd-dvd, format, drop, finally, blu-ray, microsoft, x-box 360,  [/tag]