Pump ya brakes: HD-DVD launch delayed due to AACS "issues"
Toshiba issued an advisory this morning, stating that the Japanese launch of HD-DVD will be delayed, probably into 2006 while they work out unspecified issues with the AACS copy protection. They claim to their high definition DVD format is still on track for a spring launch in the United States which potentially could put them head to head with the Blu-ray launch which is still slated for Spring as well.
Troubling certainly, especially since we don't know what those issues are, and Toshiba doesn't have anything in regards to a timetable as to when they will launch, just "before the US launch". However I'm not entirely surprised, especially as DRM becomes more and more complex we may see more things like this. I know Blu-ray says it has the ability to upgrade content protection over the Internet if necessary, but I don't think HD-DVD does, could that be a factor in the delay?
