HD-DVD dropped by Warner

For future reference, this is the week HD-DVD died. End-2007 player shipments in the US are 0.75m HD-DVD and 4m Blu-ray.

Warner dropped HD-DVD to force standardisation on the remaining format. Their concern was that with most consumers delaying a HD player purchase the studio would not have enough HD players to make it worthwhile to sell content to. They also had an inscutable remark about the uncertainty over HD formats polluting DVD sales -- presumably some people are not adding to their movie libraries until a winning HD format appeared.

Paramount has an escape clause in its deal with player manufacturers and is expected to follow Warner and drop HD-DVD support.

Toshiba, Microsoft's XBox and Universal are left holding the baby.