Sharp: We’re upping Blue laser diode production

Remember those blue laser diodes that have been at the heart of the current feud between the Xbox 360 and the PS3? It seems that another player’s entered the fray, as Sharp Corporations announces that it has started commercial production of blue laser diodes.

The diodes, needed for DVDs running in either Blu-ray or HD DVD format, were under production since November at 150,000 units a month in their factory in Western Japan, relayed Sharp spokesman Hiroshi Takenami. From this initial production run, Sharp plans to up the figure to 500,000 units per months by the end of 2007.

Sharp, according to the business paper Nihon Keizai Shimbun, is expected to make annual sales of Â¥ 5 billion  (USD $ 127.2 million) for the diode’s initial stage.

Given that both the 360 (HD DVD) and the PS3 (Blu-Ray) are dependent on these diodes, we’ll just have to wait and see what effects this announcement will have for Sony and Microsoft, especially in, light of the PS3’s production run.

Via Reuters

Remember those blue laser diodes that have been at the heart of the current feud between the Xbox 360 and the PS3? It seems that another player’s entered the fray, as Sharp Corporations announces that it has started commercial production of blue laser diodes.

The diodes, needed for DVDs running in either Blu-ray or HD DVD format, were under production since November at 150,000 units a month in their factory in Western Japan, relayed Sharp spokesman Hiroshi Takenami. From this initial production run, Sharp plans to up the figure to 500,000 units per months by the end of 2007.

Sharp, according to the business paper Nihon Keizai Shimbun, is expected to make annual sales of Â¥ 5 billion  (USD $ 127.2 million) for the diode’s initial stage.

Given that both the 360 (HD DVD) and the PS3 (Blu-Ray) are dependent on these diodes, we’ll just have to wait and see what effects this announcement will have for Sony and Microsoft, especially in, light of the PS3’s production run.

Via Reuters