What? You mean you wanted to watch that DVD?
Apple and Microsoft have both decided to do unorthodox things with DVDs. Apple sells the incredibly popular MacBook Air. This laptop abandoned its DVD/CD drive in favor of a thinner and lighter form factor. At the time Apple did this many people thought they were crazy. But the wide success of the Air has proved them right. In fact, the Air has been so popular it has spawned an entire new category of copycat laptops called ultrabooks.
Ok, so Apple thinks DVDs are going the way of the dodo. However, they still include support for DVD playback in case the person has their own drive and wants to use it.
Enter Microsoft. They have decided that Windows 8 will not include the ability to play DVDs. At all. If a user wants to watch a movie they have buy their own program. I am not sure how this is a good move. Microsoft, are your margins really that thin that you can’t pay the licensing fees for simple DVD playback?
The two approaches to moving away from DVDs couldn’t be more different. Apple’s seems to be working with a wildly successful laptop. I guess we will find out what consumers think when they get their hands on Windows 8 and realize it can’t play their DVDs.