As netbooks, tablets, and smaller computer like devices are introduced to the market, they all tend to have one thing in common: the lack of reliance on physical software media. In ages past (a decade or two), one had to have a floppy drive to install anything new on their computer. These diskettes were (in their final form) 3.5 inch squares, and the most common form of them contained 1.44 MB of storage space. At one point, this was thought to be ample room.

According to Sony's reconstruction plan, there is no room for their optical disc drive business for the next year. Unconfirmed sources said that Sony Optiarc Inc., the Sony Subsidiary that makes CD and DVD drives used in PCs, will have to terminate all operations by March 2013. This move should be one of Sony's attempts to cut a few money-losing divisions. The bigger part of 400 employees in Japan and other countries will be let go through early retirement program as it was stated in Asahi Shimbun paper today.