Following its victory over Microsoft, the European Commission – the EU’s top antitrust body – is now looking into the licensing strategies behind the rival next-generation high-capacity DVD formats HD DVD and Blu-ray.
HD DVD was developed by Toshiba and Blu-ray by a consortium of firms led by Sony. Over the last few months the two sides have been battling it out to persuade makers of PCs and DVD players, and consumers, that theirs is the best format.
The Commission wants to know details of how the makers of the formats plan to license their products to manufacturers.
“We have sent a letter earlier this month to the makers of HD DVD and Blu-ray to request information about licensing,” a Commission spokesman said last month in a statement.
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