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Technology Stocks : Read-Rite
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To: Gus who wrote (2754)1/7/1998 4:29:00 PM
From: Gus  Read Replies (2) of 5058
 
A trailing thought re: QNTM and RDRT.

QNTM is buying the 1.1 GB TFI, 1.3 GB MR and 1.6 GB MR heads from RDRT and buying the 2.1 GB MR heads from TDK and Yamaha. The legitimate question to ask is whether QNTM is seriously considering sourcing most if not ALL of its next-generation MR and GMR heads from the Japanese suppliers given the kind of capacity that the Japanese indies, notably TDK and Yamaha, have added in a clear and synchronized (see addition of Japanese platter capacity despite the glut in platters) attempt to grab market share during the transition from MR to GMR.

This is a snapshot of the Japanese GMR scene in December 1996.

...Japanese HDD-head manufacturers working to overtake IBM plan to ship samples of giant magneto-resistive (GMR) heads in 1997 with volume production in 1998. Efforts are now focusing on improving resistance to heat and corrosion of the heads...

Japan GMR Heads Near Sampling for 80GB 3.5" HDD
nikkeibp.com

And this is the most recent update of the Japanese effort from the January 1998 edition of Nikkei Electronics.

Market sees series of HDDs with built-in GMR head;
key to success is production yield of heads
ne.nikkeibp.co.jp

Hard disk drives (HDDs) equipped with a built-in GMR head are now being marketed. The GMR head is expected to replace the MR head, the current main stream of HDD heads. Toshiba Corp. and IBM Japan, Ltd. were the first manufac turers in Japan to adopt this next-generation
HDD head. Other domestic HDD makers are expected to adopt it in 1998 to compete with Toshiba and IBM Japan. The main issue to solve in the competition is the production yield of HDD heads. Only companies that overcome this problem will be able to join in the approaching competition over large-capacity HDDs.

Note that despite their own GMR R&D activities, TDK and Yamaha have both licensed Toshiba's GMR technology.
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