Hitachi sees drives based on the new method with areal densities of around 230 gigabits per square inch in 2007, Best says. Such a density would enable the 1TB, 3.5-inch drive and 20GB, 1-inch drive, he says.

Hitachi's first drives are likely to offer a more conservative storage density of about 120 gigabits per square inch and be available later this year. The company is currently field testing a 100GB, 2.5-inch drive based on an 80 gigabits per square inch version of the technology, says Best.

Good news for users is that the new drives shouldn't be substantially different from current drives in terms of mechanical performance or price.

Other hard drive makers are also busy researching and developing the technology and at least one of Hitachi's competitors has also announced plans for drives based on perpendicular recording .

Toshiba is planning to put on sale shortly two 1.8-inch drives based on perpendicular technology: a 40GB drive during the April to June quarter and an 80GB drive during the July to September quarter, it says. The drives are similar to those currently used in the IPod and other digital music players and could mean higher capacity or physically thinner players for users.

The drive's greater recording density, at 133 gigabits per square inch, will enable about 40GB to be stored on a single disk platter. The result will be a reduction from 8 millimeters to 5 millimeters in the thickness of a 40GB drive and an increase in the maximum capacity of the 1.8-inch range to 80GB from 60GB. [via pcworld]