Which one will Sony axe?

[pata2001]

OK, under the new reign, Sony is undergoing changes. There have been rumors on what product line that will be axed. Let's hear your opinions/speculations.

1. PCDPs.

IMO, this is probably going to be axed. I don't want it to be since I like Sony PCDPs, but Sony pretty much doesn't have anymore significant feature to add to its PCDPs. The last lineup pretty much have almost everything: gapless/seamless playback, backlit LCD on unit(for the NE920/520), digital amp, even korean display support on the 55ELK remotes. Maybe Sony can add in 5 band EQ or HD amp, but nothing much else, unless they decide to explore new codecs. Hopefully not axed, but seeing that the focus now is on the network walkmen, maybe Sony will just release crappy plain PCDP low-enders like the EJ001.

2. MD/HiMD.

A lot of us are weary whether Sony, under the new management, will axe this or not, especially since units sales are not doing well, especially in the US, and the fact not many followers doing HiMD (sharp, kenwood, pana, etc). Sooner or later, it might be axed, but maybe not anytime soon. However, the network walkmed is getting new lineups quite frequently, while there is no rumors/announcements at all regarding MD/HiMD. Might be axed, or maybe the focus is shifted to be only pro devices like the M10/100.

3. Atrac.

The codec itself. With focus on MP3, and the Axxxx series getting WMA support, plus PSP supporting AAC, Sony seems to be doing mixbag decisions. With the recent opening of the codec to support the general bitrates, maybe we'll still be seeing Atrac around for a while, but who knows.

Discuss.

[sonyslave]

Well, I think now it seems that MD/HiMD will get the chop.

PCDP will probably continue with a much reduced range, probably dropping the ATRAC and Mp3 compatability, and I don't think there will be any high end models.

ATRAC format will continue, it is used in Sony's DAPs and I don't think that will change, yes they are opening up with using mp3 and WMA formats, but these will run alongside ATRAC. Look at Apple with the iPod/iTunes this uses mp3 alongside ACC, the only reason they won't support directly WMA is that it is a Microsoft format... but that's another story.

So I can see Sony concentrating on its range of Digital Audio Players, as it tries to regain the ground lost to Apple in the portable music player market.

Let's face it, the DAP is the 21st Century's Walkman or should that be iPod!

[Christopher]

They'll squeeze off CD players in low numbers for a while. MD, definitely. ATRAC, for a couple of years.

[shadowritten]

If Sony drop ATRAC, then I'm sorry, but I'm off!

Aside from the general good build quality of Sony equipment - and reasonable sound quality of their audio gear in particular - Sony would have little to offer a committed DAP fan like me if they trashed the one reason I choose their products: gapless playback thanks to ATRAC. Why else would I stay? With MP3s, there is a (albeit longwinded) workaround to achieve a kind of gapless effect. I'd be forced back to this route without ATRAC. Or, I'd look at investing in a Sony CD Walkman, or a non-Sony DVD/CD portable unit.

In short, Sony walking away from ATRAC would just be a disaster. They should open up the format so it could be used universally. How thick are the executives at Sony not to realise the advantages this could bring? Let other firms' music management software encode to ATRAC, but keep it so that ATRAC only works on Sony devices! It's so simple - I wonder why they haven't implemented it ...