HD DVD to Die Before Week’s End

It should come as surprise to no one that HD DVD’s death is closer than ever, and according to various sources, it could come before the week is over. According to Ars Technica, sources have revealed that the likes of Netflix and Wal-Mart have known about the plans for Toshiba to withdrawal from the HD DVD camp for weeks now, which is the reason both of them made their announcements early.

The past month and a half have not been fun for Toshiba and HD DVD supporters. Since Warner’s announcement to cancel their support for HD DVD, things have gone downhill at an accelerated rate, with numerous other companies following suit – ultimately pushing Toshiba to make the rough, but obvious decision.

Once the announcement is finally made, it’s only a matter of time before movie production is halted and the remaining stores cease to offer them for sale. It’s a harsh way to go, but was inevitable.

What’s more, our source says that Netflix and Wal-Mart were aware of HD DVD’s impending official death, and rather than allow a long and drawn out withdrawal from the market that could burn customers, those companies chose to broadcast their intentions to the marketplace immediately. This puts pressure on Toshiba and its partners to exit the business without spending months trying to unload product that’s essentially already obsolete.

Source: Ars Technica