As technology continues to change so does the quality, storage capacity, and function of DVDs and CDs. When the CD was first introduced in 1982, it was created only for audio files. Compact disc sales peaked in 2000, but by 2010, CDs have become almost obsolete, being replaced by other forms of digital storage devices such as flash drives. Since its commercial introduction in 1982, technology has changed the CD from simply an audio storage device to a data storage device. A standard CD has a diameter of 120 mm and can hold approximately 700 MB of data or approximately 80 minutes of uncompressed data. The mini CD, which is less popular and not as widely used, varies in size ranging from diameters of 60 mm to 80 mm. Mini CDs only hold approximately 24 minutes of audio and are primarily used for music singles or device drivers. Although, as a storage device and for audio, CDs are being replaced, in the computer industry CDs are still widely used.
The DVD was first invented and developed in 1995. A DVD is an optical disc storage device. Although, a DVD has the same dimensions as a CD they are capable of storing approximately seven times more information as a standard CD. The first DVD discs and players were available in Japan in 1996 and was available in the United States by early 1997. The popularity of DVDs grew quickly and by 2005 most major retailers had decided to completely phase out VHS due to the popularity of DVDs.
As technology continues to change and develop, the usefulness of CDs and DVDs continues to change as well. Just as the CD has lost its place and is quickly becoming a thing of the past, so has the DVD as Blue-ray takes its place as the next generation of optical disc storage devices.