Is there power supply standard emerging?

This paper evaluates various power supply standards of the past, present and future, in AC/DC switchers and DC/DC converters including the high density products. It is generally believed that the power supply industry “lacks standards” and most companies pursue their own product development according to their customer´s needs. This lack of standards has defined this industry as made up of “large number of small companies”. However, some standards have emerged due to their market leadership or due to large consumption of those products, popularly known as “de facto standard”. A case in point is baby AT form factor, which has resulted in large volume consumption, multiple sources and lower prices for PC power supplies. Intel´s ATX-a new standard for PC power supplies is superseding baby AT´s form factor. What will be the implications of the standards in form of technology and prices for the rest of the industry? In DC/DC converters there are also defined standards. Will all these standards dictate the nature of the industry in the future?