The Japanese majors are mortified that despite their best efforts, US companies still have about 90% of the world disk drive market, and Fujitsu Ltd, NEC Corp, Toshiba Corp and Hitachi Ltd are coming together to try to do something about it. They plan to set up a fund in May to finance research and development of future hard disk technologies at local companies and universities. Each firm will commit to contribute $180,000 annually, and are seeking enough other participants to bring the total to $1.8m a year. Results of research supported by the fund will be available to all contributors, and the target is very small form factor drives with much higher capacities. The small scale of the effort underlines the loss of confidence in Japan after decades of massive government-assisted research spending in the computer sector with very little to show for it: the suggested $3.6m over two years compares with the $20m over two years – half coming from the government – the US is investing in the effort, led by Micropolis Corp, to develop a 1.8 disk drive storing 1Gb (CI No 2,535).
