DigiTimes has
reported that support for HP's LightScribe technology is on the decline. According to their article, the number of LightScribe-enabled
DVD burners has dropped by 30% in the second quarter of 2007.
Support for Hewlett-Packard's (HP's) self-developed direct
disc labeling technology, LightScribe, appears to be on the decline as the percentage of LightScribe-enabled DVD burners to all DVD
burners has dropped from 80-90% in the first quarter of 2007 to 50-60% in the second, according to sources from both Taiwan's optical
disc and optical disc drive (ODD) making industries.
HP won support of LightScribe from global leading ODD brands and OEM makers,
including Sony, Pioneer, Asustek Computer, Hitachi-LG Data Storage (HLDS), Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology (TSST), and Lite-On IT, the
sources pointed out. In mid-2006, HP's promotion of LightScribe culminated in more than 70 licensees, the sources indicated. A licensee
of LightScribe has to pay initial lump-sum royalty fee of US$250,000-300,000, the sources noted.
The article also mentions
that the declining support is most likely due to extra cost associated with the technology as well as the continued drops in OEM drive
prices. If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes.
