Emergence of Destructive New Technologies

Abstract

In this chapter, we discuss the emergence of alternative products. Under conditions of severe competition, companies launch alternative products to gain the initiative and to promote increased sales, although the R&D and manufacturing cause large cost increases. In the case of the VCR, many alternative products, such as EVR, TED, and the laser disk, have existed since the 1960s and were improved many times in attempts to beat VHS. However, VHS (a magnetic recording system) remained the de facto standard until the DVD and HDD recorders replaced the VHS around 2000. Here we explain the reasons why VHS products were able to become the de facto standard for a few decades and how the alternative products, DVD and HDD recorders, ultimately replaced the VHS.