Toshiba Retires HD DVD format

The story so far: HD DVD format was launched by Toshiba in Japan on 31st March 2006. The first Samsung Blu-ray players went on sale in the US on 25th June 2006. Sony's PlayStation 3 Console with built-in Blu-ray player launched in Japan on 10th November 2006. Microsoft's HD DVD Player for XBOX 360 was released at the beginning of December 2006...

October 2007: Blu-ray Discs Outselling HD DVD

Toshiba issued a statement today: it will no longer develop or produce HD DVD players, leaving the high-definition disc market to the more successful, rival Blu-ray Disc technology. Toshiba's President, Atsutoshi Nishida, told reporters in Tokyo that the recent decision by Warner Bros. to release movies exclusively on Blu-ray "...had tremendous impact. If we had continued, that would have created problems for consumers, and we simply had no chance to win." Previously: MGM, Disney & 20th Century Fox had decided to release HD movies only on Blu-ray. Many major retailers have also recently shifted their focus to Blu-ray Disc and abandoned HD DVD

An estimated one million people already own HD DVD players - Toshiba have pledged to continue providing product support. While HD DVD players are cheaper, Blu-ray's superior storage capacity has been a factor in this victory. Sales of HD disc players have also been critical, and clearly Sony's strategy of delaying the PlayStation 3 to ensure that Blu-ray technology was included has paid-off. Sony have now sold 10.5 million PlayStation 3s worldwide

Blu-ray Disc movies * HD DVD movies