Like any election candidate, the HD DVD Promotion Group is adept at claiming victory even in the midst of defeat - why else would it be trying so hard to spin the results of a survey among HD buyers in the US?
In a nutshell, HD DVD failed to win the hearts, minds and wallets of US early adopters - the people who snap up new technology when it's at its newest and most expensive. HD DVD is now banking on an early second wave of 'HDTV intenders' to push it ahead of arch-rival Blu-ray Disc.
Format war far from over
HDTV intenders are young singletons who plan to buy new technology when it gets cheaper and they know that it works properly. According to The Diffusion Group (TDG) survey, 43 per cent plan to plump for HD DVD within the next six months, 30 per cent can't decide and 27 per cent are going to buy into Blu-ray. The rustling you can hear is the sound of straws being desperately clutched.
For while this second wave sounds promising for HD DVD, TDG says that there will be several waves of adoption. All of these, of course, could go either way - it depends on how quickly Blu-ray prices fall relative to HD DVD and how good each side is at securing must-have blockbuster movies for its cause.
For while it's been gracious in admitting defeat in the first bloody battle, the HD DVD camp is still a long way from winning in this high def format war.
