First, thanks to all of you. I will endeavor to check in here every couple of days to answer questions as I can.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulGo
Welcome! I have been reading your column for a couple of months and I really enjoy it! I am sure Amir (now retired from Microsoft) is also an avid reader, (or lurker, as he is of this forum).
So the 64 thousand dollar question is why is Toshiba doing this? Do they just want to liquidate their inventory or are they being a sore loser and wanting to destroy HDM. How is this going to end?
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I think they want to save face by putting on a brave face, to create the best potential bargining position with the Blu-ray camp that they can (if the BDA should prove willing), and I think they also want to sell as many players as they can before its all over and done with. Toshiba has lost a lot of money, so I think they're trying to find the best way out of this mess that they can. But it's over. I don't know anyone in this industry that seriously thinks Toshiba can keep HD-DVD going for much longer in the face of 70% home video/studio domination for Blu-ray. The hardware and software sales numbers for these two formats over the next few months are going to make it abundantly clear to all this this format war is effectively over. Retailers are eager to get HD-DVD off their shelves by mid-year so they can focus on Blu-ray for the holiday season 2008, regardless of any statements they may be making in public right now to help Toshiba bow out gracefully. You have to remember that these companies all have to continue doing business with one another. Nobody really wants to burn bridges.
But let's put it this way - when the Economist is calling you the new Betamax, you're probably the new Betamax. See this link:
http://www.economist.com/business/di...ry_id=10498648