Stitch,
>The two largest independent (non vertically integrated) head
>consumers are Maxtor and WDC.
Yes but, taken in context, QNTM partially falls into that group as well...as I remember it, they are a long ways from supplying all of their own heads internally. I'm going to have to go check on that.
It does start to look dicier. A week ago I was almost convinced that SEG was turning into a good long term bet. But the shape of things is starting to look like a battle between Seagate's component capabilities vs IBM's. If IBM starts peddling heads to QNTM as well, Seagate will, in a sense, be thoroughly surrounded. Between WDC, Maxtor, QNTM, and IBM you have 50+% of the market and while its true IBM wouldn't have all the heads in that group, SEG wouldn't have any. Its going to be a pretty odd turn of events if the WDC business model triumphs over the Seagate business model because IBM turned into an Indy head supplier!
Exclusivity would be a tough nut to crack. WDC and Maxtor have to worry about letting IBM get a stranglehold on them and it would appear that TDK/SAE is the main counter to that. Leaves APM and RDRT prospects looking rather bleak. Bounce dead cat, dammit, BOUNCE! :o)
Best.....Tom |
