Jari Ketola
5 May 2004 12:24
Taiwanese manufacturers, including Ritek and CMC Magnetics, have announced that they plan to start the production of double-layer DVD±R discs this summer. Several manufacturers have already announced plans to release double-layer drives in May.
Ritek is currently doing trial production of dual-layer discs for quality certification, and expects to begin volume production by the end of June. The licensing terms for dual-layer discs are more strict than those of single layer DVD±R discs. That will result in smaller manufacturers having more difficulties with starting mass production, which in turn will reflect on the price of media.
It is quite likely that the prices for double-layer discs will not fall as rapidly as the single layer prices fell. The prices for Taiwanese double-layer discs will in any case be 20-30% lower than those of their Japanese counterparts.
Source: Digitimes.com