Sony, the loser of the first media format war (VHS vs. Betamax) and the maker of Blu-ray, is making great strides in the next battle against HD DVD.
This past week, Warner announced that the studio would release its films exclusively in Blu-ray beginning in June. Today, Paramount has decided to drop its support for HD DVD as well. Both studios now join Walt Disney, 20th Century Fox, and MGM as exclusive backers of the Sony format. Universal Pictures remains the sole major studio in support of HD DVD.
The recent moves to Blu-ray are a sign that the studios no longer wish to partake in the format war. Robin Harris of ZDNet wrote on his blog that "DVD sales have weakened and Hollywood suspects the HD format war is part of the problem." While competition is always good for consumers, the high price tags and the uncertain future of the two competing formats have definitely been limiting their growth potential.
With generous mark-downs during the holiday shopping seasons, HD DVD and Blu-ray players still cost over $200 per unit, compared to the progressive scan DVD player at $50 or less. It's understandable that shoppers may not wish to risk hundreds of dollars on a potentially dead format, especially after they have just invested in an expensive HDTV. On the flip side, consumers might be holding off on buying soon-to-be outdated traditional DVDs in anticipation of the new format. Recently flourishing mail/web video rental market (Netflix and Blockbuster) has also contributed to the decrease in traditional DVD sales, after years of double-digit growth.
Another speculation is that Apple could soon be offering Blu-ray drives as an upgrade option for its MacBooks. On January 6th, Panasonic introduced thin Blu-ray drive for laptops. Since Apple is on the Board of Directors of the Blu-ray Disc Association and Panasonic is a major manufacturer for all MacBook drives, the probability of Apple unveiling Blu-ray capable MacBooks at the next MacWorld is high.
What does this mean for consumers? Focusing on a single format will help manufacturers lower production costs and help retail stores save floor space and concentrate their marketing efforts. With analog broadcasting coming to an end, a single format would help consumers adopt digital TV and the next-gen format. If Blu-ray does win out, however, it will be a real downer for those who put down the money for a XBox 360 HD DVD add-on. But hey, no one wants to see Sony lose two media format wars in a row, right?
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Source: www.articlecity.com
