In context: While cloud storage and streaming have become the preferred way of consuming content for many, there remains a devoted crowd for whom optical media is irreplaceable. Sony used to be a big player in supplying these discs, but the company recently closed its last Japanese factory producing recordable Blu-rays, MiniDiscs, and MiniDV cassettes. It marks the end of an era for the formats pioneered by Sony.
But fear not, data hoarders. Two companies have stepped up to reassure the Japanese market that they'll keep producing high-quality optical media: Verbatim and I-O Data.
In a statement on their Japanese website, Verbatim vowed to meet customer demand through a "stable supply." It recognizes that the market is at a "major turning point" with rivals exiting, but remains committed to these once wildly popular discs.
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The duo has pledged "thorough quality control" and a "stable production system" to provide "highly reliable" discs. They feel that they can continue supporting the entire recording media market by maintaining the supply chain.
The statement seems to focus on Japan, but Verbatim is a company with a global presence. On its North American website, as pointed out by Tom's Hardware, it's proudly touting itself as "the No. 1 Optical Brand in the World." A quick browse shows it offers a large catalog of burnable CD, DVD, and BD options.
Verbatim is doing more than just keeping the formats on life support – it also unveiled new hardware at CES 2025. Its Slimline Blu-ray Writer lets you back up 4K video to Ultra HD Blu-ray and even comes bundled with antiquated Nero disc burning software. Specs mention compatibility all the way back to Intel Pentium III systems.
For Sony, the reason for pulling out of the optical disc market was that the cold storage market never really took off as it hoped, and the overall storage media business was operating in the red for years.
However, Verbatim and I-O Data clearly appear confident that there will be a loyal base of photographers, videographers, audiophiles, and data archivists who will keep optical media relevant for years to come.