In 2006 the battle for physical high definition media was starting, with some tech giants like Toshiba, Microsoft and Intel taking the side of HD DVD and others like Sony, Samsung, and Apple taking Blu-ray’s side.
It’s been three years since Warner Brothers dropped HD DVD right before CES and tipped the balance to Blu-ray, yet Apple has yet to include Blu-ray players on their computers despite being on the Blu-ray Disc Association. Their stance has always been that the DRM included in Blu-ray is simply too restrictive to consumers, although many people believe that it’s because the format could eat into the iTunes machine.
Now Hardmac is reporting that in an internal meeting, Steve Jobs confirmed his dislike of the format and that the Blu-ray Disc Association looks more like the Mafia than a regulating board due to the high fees required for authoring. He allegedly went on to say that he was embarrassed that Apple was a member of the association’s board of directors. Although these statements can’t be confirmed, it follows past reports from Apple and easily explains the lack of Blu-ray support on the platform.
Also in the list of rumors is a report that new versions of Final Cut will be announced in March or early April. In addition, it sounds like many customers of Apple’s Xserve have complained about the product being discontinued so the product may see continued life.