Toshiba Discontinues HD DVD

TOKYO - Toshiba Corporation has officially announced in a press release that after reviewing its strategy for HD DVD, the company will halt developing, manufacturing and marketing HD DVD players and recorders.

Toshiba attributes the move to changes in the marketplace, but stressed that it will continue to provide product support and service for owners of the company's HD DVD products.

According to the company's official press release, Toshiba president and CEO Atsutoshi Nishida said of the decision, "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. 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."

Toshiba is now reducing its deliveries of HD DVD players and recorders to retailers, and plans a complete cessation by the end of March 2008. The company also plans to stop volume production of HD DVD disk drives for such applications as PCs and games during the same time. However, according to the press release, Toshiba will make efforts to meet its customers' needs.

The recent decision will not, according to the press release, affect the company's commitment to standard DVD. Toshiba will continue to market conventional DVD players and recorders.