Recently I’ve been looking into the development of high-definition (HD) technology. What is HD? Those unfamiliar might not know — the first image that comes to my mind is… the God of Gamblers movie character! I think I’ve been brainwashed too thoroughly. The second thing that comes to mind is a company name. And then finally I understood: HD = High Definition, the same HD that appears in all those “HD high-quality digital TV” ads!
The title of this post is borrowed from the opening headline of a mainland Chinese company’s product manual. Seeing it, I’m genuinely impressed by how far China has come in recent years. While China is developing next-generation technologies at a breakneck pace and beginning to set industry standards, Taiwan is gradually falling behind. Taiwan’s competitiveness still exists for now, but the gap continues to shrink. Products from China that were once seen as low-quality knockoffs are beginning to gain acceptance — and we need to take this shift seriously.
Regardless, as LCD televisions become more widespread, HD is finding its place in the digital home, creating significant demand for high-definition peripherals. Sony, without a doubt, has been the most committed long-term player in HD development. Sony’s series of strategic moves appear to be entering the payoff phase. In the battle between Blu-ray and HD-DVD, when taking into account the breadth and cohesion of Sony’s ecosystem around Blu-ray — barring any extraordinary events — Blu-ray looks to me like it has the upper hand. Sony stands a very good chance of enjoying the fruits of the HD era in the years to come. Though they did get blindsided on gaming consoles by the Wii — I don’t think it fundamentally damages Sony’s position in this market. Let’s continue watching how it unfolds.
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