DigiTimes is reporting that the number of optical disc drives (ODDs) shipped by
Taiwan-based manufacturers dropped by more than 7% in 2007. According to the article, the decrease was due to Hitachi-LG Data Storage
(HLDS) and Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology (TSST) being more competitive than manufacturers located in Taiwan.
Taiwan-based manufacturers in total shipped an estimated 80.591 million optical disc drives (ODDs) of all types in 2007,
dropping by 7.1% from 2006, according to Digitimes Research.
The decrease was mainly because Taiwan-based makers were less
competitive compared to Hitachi-LG Data Storage (HLDS) and Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology (TSST), the world's top-two ODM/OEM makers
of ODDs, in DVD burners which had become the mainstream ODD type adopted by international PC vendors, Digitimes Research pointed
out.
Taiwan's ODD manufacturers are expected to bounce back in 2008 with a shipment volume of 91.217 million drives. If
you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes.
