Optical drives have been disappearing from computers in ever increasing numbers. Apple is moving away from using them and Ultrabooks turn a blind eye, too. You don?t even need one in a desktop PC anymore due to the option to boot from USB, and we are storing more and more data in the cloud rather than on disc.
So it may come as little surprise that Sony is getting out of the business. However, the reason seems to be one of competition rather than a lack of demand.
Sony Optiarc Inc. has been around since 2006 when it was created as a joint venture with NEC to manufacture optical drives. Then in 2008 Sony bought out NEC making Optiarc a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Japanese company. Today it enjoys a relatively healthy 15% share of the global market for optical drives.
A 15% market share is worth holding on to if you?re making a profit, but that?s no longer the case for Optiarc. Sony has stated that due to increased competition for fewer sales it is now operating the business at a loss, which is clearly unsustainable.
Sony will close Optiarc operations no later than March next year with some 400 staff being offered early retirement or placed elsewhere in the company. It is though Sony wants most of the 400 to retire though, as part of its goal to cut 10,000 people from the company?s work force.
The closure of Optiarc?s production lines is not likely to have much impact on the availability of optical drives. Competitors will happily fill the void in what is a rapidly shrinking market.
Sony will continue to manufacture consumer DVD and Blu-ray players, as well as ensure there?s a supply of Blu-ray drives for the PS3. But by this time next year its unlikely you?ll be able to purchase a Sony manufactured optical drive for your PC.
More at The Asahi Shimbun, via Engadget
Source: http://www.geek.com/articles/chips/sony-to-stop-manufacturing-optical-drives-20120827/
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