Talks have reportedly fallen through between Sony and Toshiba about creating a unified next-generation media format out of Blu-ray and HD-DVD, but Toshiba hasn't given up on a last-minute compromise being reached - but Sony only had until the end of the year to step up and make it happen.
The Japan Times attended a Toshiba product release press conference, where Yoshihide Fujii, president and CEO of Toshiba's Digital Media Network Company, shed some light on the complicated situation. "We have no intention of giving up on creating a single format," he says.
At least someone is making sense. The potential problems of competing next-generation media formats are disastrous; neither format could be adopted due to consumer confusion, both could find niches due to studio division but ultimately stall the adoption of either, etc., etc.!
The recent delay of HD-DVD into early next year, though, seems to have provided this reprieve, but Fujii says the reason talks between Sony and Toshiba failed before fell squarely in the Blu-ray camp's inability to convince Toshiba of the disc's structure. If that can happen now, Fujii does say he'll remain "flexible" about a compromise.
The tides could be shifting in this area yet again, and it could also be a sign from Toshiba admitting the Blu-ray's potential for grabbing the market is too great to ignore. If talks start up between the two companies, you'll hear it first.
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