Because both BDXL and IH-BD are specially designed formats with specific market segments in mind, newly-designed hardware is required to play back or record BDXL or IH-BD media.

ENGADGET: Blu-ray Discs expand to 128GB under new BDXL spec

However, because the new media specifications are extensions of current Blu-ray Disc technology, future BDXL and IH-BD devices can be designed to support existing 25GB and 50GB Blu-ray Discs.

ENGADGET: Blu-ray Discs expand to 128GB under new BDXL spec

The BDXL specification, which is targeted primarily at commercial segments such as broadcasting, medical and document imaging enterprises with significant archiving needs, will provide customers with write-once options on 100GB and 128GB capacity discs and rewritable capability on 100GB discs.

ENGADGET: Blu-ray Discs expand to 128GB under new BDXL spec