CMC, Ritek, Prodisc and Lead Data. All are names that'll be familiar to many as manufacturers of recordable optical media. Only now it seems they may be unable to export their CD-Rs to Europe, following Philips' revocation of their patent licenses.
According to Taiwanese news website Digi Times, Ritek lost its license in May when it expired, while the other manufacturers appear to have lost theirs for breaching license agreements.
Interestingly, Philips is pushing a new CD-R patent licensing scheme known as Veeza, which in the words of Philips "will make it easier to sell licensed CD-R discs and tougher to sell unlicensed products". Well, it would make it easier, but only if the aforementioned Taiwanese manufacturers signed up to it.
Sources have suggested to Digi Times that Philips may be revoking licenses to pressure manufacturers into taking up the new scheme.
Daxon and E-Top still have CD-R licenses, but for how long? The companies that have been left license-less are planning to meet soon to work out what they're going to do. For whatever reason, it seems Veeza doesn't appeal to the CD-R manufacturers.
