Philips & Lite-On Digital Solutions: Leading In Blu-ray Optical Storage Technologies

A long History and Reputation in Optical Disc Drive Business Positions Company as Industry Leader in New BD Format [The following is a release from Philips & Lite-On Digital Solutions]

March 19, 2008

Now that the "bun-fight" between Blu-ray Disc (BD) and HD-DVD appears to be over, Philips & Lite-On Digital Solutions (PLDS) are set to become an industry leading company in the market of Blu-ray Optical Disc Drives. In 2006, Lite-On IT wisely positioned itself to compete in both formats by first signing an agreement with Toshiba to license its use of HD-DVD patents and later that same year in acquiring BenQ's Optical Storage business and thus the existing joint venture between BenQ and Royal Philips Electronics (PBDS) was renamed Philips & Lite-On Digital Solutions. Since Philips is not only a 'board of directors'' member of the Blu-ray Disc Association but also owner of various Blu-ray Disc related patents, the new partnership gave Lite-On IT access to an impressive portfolio of patents which allowed the company to begin R&D and ultimately production of its current line of leading Blu-ray Disc products. As one of the few companies in the ODD industry that has access to a large Optical Disc Drive production facility as well as the above mentioned numerous Blu-ray patents PLDS leads others in bringing the latest Blu-ray Optical Disc Drive technologies to the marketplace. Other traditional ODD manufacturers will need to either pay Blu-ray royalties to the original patent holders and/ or outsource their production of BD drives to other manufacturers. "Combining Lite-On manufacturing abilities with Philips Blu-ray patent coverage gives the joint venture PLDS a competitive advantage," says Jelmer Veldman, European Marketing Manager at PLDS." The Lite-On brand has a long history and reputation in the ODD market and we are very exited to continue to offer high quality Optical Disc Drives at a competitive price to the consumer, with Blu-ray as the future standard," Veldman adds.

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