Yesterday, Microsoft and Intel threw their support
behind the waning HD-DVD disc format, giving Toshiba's disc a much-needed boost when compared to the support given to
Sony's Blu-Ray disc format. Initially, support for the HD-DVD seemed to all but disappear after both camps gave up on
their idea to unify formats into one next-generation DVD standard. Now, it seems, that at least one side of the format
wars wants to try a compromise.
Toshiba president Yoshihide Fujii was quoted in the
Japan Times today as having "no
intention of giving up on creating a single format," Mr. Fujii is giving Sony until the end of the year to restart
talks – early next year Toshiba plans on releasing HD-DVD players to Japan and United States, with more
consumer-friendly models arriving sometime in May.
This is very far-fetched, but could Microsoft and Intel have given their support to Toshiba in the hopes of pushing
both companies into making a unified format? There is still a big chance that both formats could kill each other,
leaving the DVD standing as the dominant format in the market.
[via 1up]
