The floppy disk is dead

Posted on 26 Apr 2010 at 16:03

Sony is to stop selling floppy disks 29 years after it first launched the storage technology. The company has announced that from March of next year it will cease selling 3.5in floppies in Japan. Many other manufacturers have already halted production.

This announcement is significant because Sony effectively invented the 3.5in floppy and sells more of this type of product than any other company. Although 8in and 5 1/4in floppy disks had been in use for years before, Sony's rigid and compact design was an instant hit when it emerged in 1981. In 2008 Sony controlled 40 per cent of the floppy market and, according to some sources, it has held onto up to 70 per cent at different times.

However, the writing was on the wall for the floppy as far back as 1998, when Apple launched the first iMac. This lacked a floppy drive because, as Apple predicted controversially at the time, people were destined to use CDs and the internet to transfer files rather than low-capacity floppy disks.

Sony claims the reason for its move is a lack of demand, which is easy to believe as it is now unusual for a desktop or laptop PC to come with a floppy drive included as standard.

Author: Simon Edwards

Get more reviews, tutorials and in-depth advice, every month with Computer Shopper.
Click here to try 3 issues for £1

< Previous News : Storage Next >

User comments

SteveDobs

I would say its a sad time but i think we all new when using them years ago that they where always going to be outplaced and im surprised they last this long really.

RIP Floopy disks around the world

By SteveDobs on 27 Apr 2010