Gartner analyst: HD DVD has until the end of 2008

A Gartner analyst today predicted that, based on the numbers of movies expected to be available for the two warring high-def disc formats, that HD DVD will once and for all lose out to Blu-ray by the end of this year.

"Gartner expects that, by the end of 2008, Blu-ray will be the winning format in the consumer market, and the war will be over," according to Gartner analyst Hiroyuki Shimizu, writing in Gartner's Semiconductor DQ report today.

Gartner's principal analyst for Japan also acknowledged that Toshiba's and others' price-cutting moves might help to keep HD DVD on life support for a little while longer. "But the limited line-up of film titles will inflict fatal damage on the format," he contended.

Toshiba rolled out its latest wave of price reductions on HD DVD in mid-January, following an earlier wave of price cuts last fall. Sony fought back by bringing down its own prices on PlayStation 3 consoles in November.

Meanwhile, the majority of Hollywood studios -- though not yet all -- are now supporting Sony's competing Blu-ray format exclusively.

But 2008 has only just begun, and other questions still linger. For instance: