Despite its technological appeal, hologram storage, which has experimental roots stretching back 30 years, still has roadblocks. The storage material itself has long been a problem. It needs to be sensitive enough that a low power laser can write and read on it. But if it is too sensitive, the laser can actually wipe out stored data as it's being retrieved. They're all a matter of compromises.
Price is also a big hurdle.
At that price, even Optostor's top engineer, Joachim Cantauw, admits it will only be within reach high-end companies that have massive storage needs. IBM is taking the same approach, focusing its research on storage devices for so-called data warehouses. Coufal said that IBM's version could be ready within a year, but warned that the company would not rush a product to market. We have a reputation at IBM that we don't want to jeopardize by bringing out something that's not ready for prime time. At the same time, InPhase is working to make hologram storage a mass medium that people can use in their homes like floppy discs and CDs.