SONY AND MATSUSHITA COLLABORATE TO BRING NEW HIGH-DENSITY, S-AIT TAPE TECHNOLOGY TO MARKET
Companies to Combine Expertise and Launch Industry First 500GB Per Cartridge Capacity
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 2, 2001 — Sony Corporation today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics Industries, Ltd. (MKE), and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (MEI), known for Panasonic-brand products, outlining the intention to collaborate in bringing to market S-AIT - a new data storage technology platform based on Sony's Advanced Intelligent Tape recording format and areal densities.
S-AIT is based on high-density helical-scan technology utilizing Advanced Metal Evaporated (AME) media in a single-reel, half-inch cartridge design. The first generation product is expected to yield one-half terabyte of capacity in a single-reel, half-inch tape cartridge, with an expected roadmap capability up to four terabytes.
MKE will provide the market with an alternative manufacturing source for S-AIT drives, and MEI will serve as an alternative manufacturing source for S-AIT media.
"This collaboration agreement for the manufacture and sales of S-AIT products will create a much larger investment base that will allow more products to come to market faster, and provide customers with greater flexibility in product offerings and sources of supply," said Takao Hiramoto, president for Sony Corporation's Server Solutions Company.
"Matsushita will utilize its extensive helical-scan manufacturing and design expertise to bring
S-AIT drives to market together with Sony starting in 2003," said Takao Kanamura, senior managing director for MKE. "It is only high-density helical-scan recording together with Matsushita and Sony's world-class helical-scan technology leadership that makes the new S-AIT products feasible."
"Matsushita is pleased to join Sony in this endeavor and apply its extensive media manufacturing and development expertise to successfully launch this unique S-AIT platform to the world-wide market." said Hiroshi Yokomizo, director of AVC Media Business Unit for Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. "We are targeting to begin media production to coincide with Sony's introduction of S-AIT drives next year."
"As with any new technology introduction, the collaboration of companies is always a powerful combination for success. The tape storage market and the customers of tape products can only benefit from big partnerships," said Fara Yale, chief analyst at Gartner Dataquest.
Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, game, communications and Information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and on-line businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be a leading personal broadband entertainment company in the world. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of nearly $60 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2001. For additional information about Sony storage products in the U.S., call (800) 352-7669 or visit Sony's World Wide Web site at http://www.sony.com/news or http://www.storagebysony.com.
