analysis/ recordable, rewriteable discs prove
popular
October 14, 1998
Nikkei English News via NewsEdge
Corporation : (Nikkei Industrial Daily, Oct. 13,
1998)
TOKYO (Nikkei)--Recordable and rewriteable
compact discs are drawing a great deal of
interest from consumers and things should
only get better. Indeed, while the market for
DVDs is slumping, demand for CDs is
expected to grow rapidly.
The products' vast potential is attracting the
big guns of the electronics industry. Sanyo
Electric Co. is increasing production of
optical pick-ups for CD-ROMs, building on the
significant presence it already has in the
market. TDK Corp., Hitachi Maxell Ltd., and
other major makers of recording media will
soon release products domestically to take
advantage of the expected surge in business
near year-end.
Recordable CDs were first introduced to
support editing and other functions that
must be carried out during the creation of
CD-ROM content. Global demand is expected
to jump 76% this year to 320 million units
thanks to a surge in software sales. The
market for rewriteable CDs is growing as well,
as they present a viable option for those
looking for a reliable external storage
medium.
Audio recording decks for CDs present the
opportunity to use recordable and
rewriteable discs in conjunction with home
audio/visual equipment. Although some
Japanese companies are marketing the decks
in Europe and the U.S., sales have not begun
in Japan because agreements with domestic
music distributors have yet to be worked
out.
<<Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Inc. -- 10-13-98>>
[Copyright 1998, Nikkei America]
|
