PC Peripherals Lite-On IT takes over BenQ’s optical drive business unit

[PoBoy]

DigiTimes reports that Lite-On is to take over BenQ's optical disc drive division making it the second-biggest manufacturer of optical drives.

More here : http://digitimes.com/systems/a20060410PR206.html .

 

[Anish]

What ? OMG is this really hapenning...

Wow, so now all Lite-on drives become rebadged BenQ's... So much for competition..

 

[Mohit]

hmmm i just hope they maintain the standards of Benq.. and dont screw up things.

 

[Freaky]

Is this the reason for the serious shortage of BenQ DVD-RWs in the past 2 months ???

 

[Sandy]

omg ok the 1640 was my last benq no more benq from now on :no:

 

[dipdude]

BenQ is to sell its optical drive operation to fellow Taiwanese manufacturer LiteOn IT. This gets it closer to shedding the last of its component businesses and focus entirely on end-user products, including phones, notebooks and consumer electronics equipment.

The deal sees BenQ take a 13 per cent stake in LiteOn after a new-share issue and receive TWD1.2bn ($37m) in cash. In total, the sale values BenQ's optical drive business at around $200m.

LiteOn is Taiwan's largest optical drive maker, and currently the third largest globally, behind Hitachi-LG and Toshiba-Samsung. According to market statistics from Japan's Techno Systems Research, the BenQ deal will put LiteOn in second place, with a market share of 26-27 per cent, compared to Hitachi-LG's 28 per cent share.

BenQ's announcement comes less than two months after Sony and NEC said they too will merge their respective optical drive operations into a single entity, Sony NEC Optiarc, which opened for business last week.

 

[x86]

do u think i shud buy my 1650 now? or wait ...?

 

[Nikhil]

lol... dude!!!

By the time LiteOn actually START making new drives it will be a loooong time

Buy your 1650 now....

 

[Checksum]

ooops just when i was to get my 1640 from the us, this happens .. no prob though, itll take months for the deal to be completed

 

[~HeadShot~]

Dunno whether to call this deal good or bad... :S

 

[Anish]

Well Lite-on isn't really that bad p).

Once they start working together with BenQ engineers, they may produce some great drives in the future...

So lets be optimistic

My question is : How would this affect BenQ's OEM business to Sony, etc.

 

[Aces170]

^^ LOL they are not bad at all, BENQ has some POS drives during the CD eriter days, and Lite on had the best drives, its only recently their firmware's not been too great.

 

[TechHead]

^The newer 165H6S/P6S drives are better.

 

[Eazy]

I wonder what the new drives will be named...

Bite-ON
Ben-Lit
Lit-Ben
BQ-Lit

 

[Anish]

I wonder what the new drives will be named...
Bite-ON

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: !!

@ Aces - Yep, I still have a good old Lite-On CD-RW lying around somewhere

 

[apollyon]

I wonder what the new drives will be named...

Bite-ON
Ben-Lit
Lit-Ben
BQ-Lit

u forgot Lenq :bleh:

 

[Eazy]

How about....
Bite-On IT

 

[Eazy]

Did this takeover take place ?? Have they released any new writers after the takeover ?

Which DVD writer is the one to buy now ? Price ?

 

[TechHead]

^Go get the LG H10A/H10N (same drive, crossflashable). The L-O/Benq synergy will only kick in when the 1st/2nd gen Blu-Ray drives are released, Q4 this year.

 

[Vince]

Hey! What about warranty on older Benq drives?