Does Blu-Ray have five years to live?

The format war between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD may have seen Blu-Ray emerge as the winner, but a top Samsung executive says the technology may disappear in only five years.

The format war between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD may have seen Blu-Ray emerge as the winner, but a top Samsung executive says the technology may disappear in only five years.

In an interview with British technology site pocket-lint.co.uk, Samsung director of consumer electronics Andy Griffiths says: “I think it has five years left; I certainly wouldn’t give it 10.”

Griffiths says while Samsung is aware of Blu-Ray’s popularity, it instead wants to focus on OLED technology, which he believes will replace LCD products around the year 2010.

“We will launch the OLED technology when it’s at a price that will be appealing to the consumer, but unfortunately that’s not yet,” he says, adding, “it’s going to be big.”

OLED, or organic-light-emitting-diode, is a technology used in computer and television screens which uses far less power, is easier to manufacture than LCD products, and offers a higher quality high-definition picture.

“In 2012 we will be in a true HD world,” Griffiths says. “Everything from your television to your camcorder will be offering you pictures in high-definition, and we plan to offer you that HD world from all angles.”

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