History 2001: Fujitsu Drop Tape

According to a spokesperson at Fujitsu, the Japanese computer manufacturer has decided to abandon not only its plans for the development of an LTO drive, but also its entire line of 3480/3590 1BM-compatible tape drives.

In other words, Fujitsu is definitively leaving the tape drive market.

The company was one of the last to remain in the niche market for IBM-compatible half-inch 3480-type cartridges. The decision does not come as a total surprise.

The market for 3480/3590 drives has been shrinking with the decrease in mainframes.

As for LTO, Fujitsu originally intended to design a high-end model. But was there really room for a 4th player, after HP, IBM and Seagate, particularly if it was entering after everyone else?

Fujitsu didn’t think so, and the tape drive industry has consequently lost one of its most veteran players.

This article is an abstract of news published on issue 159 on April 2001 from the former paper version of Computer Data Storage Newsletter.