Toshiba Corp. said on Thursday that the launch of next generation HD-DVD players might be delayed until 2006. Such a move may be costly to the company as it affects the first mover advantage position that Toshiba has with its deadline to launch HD-DVD players by the end of the year. The company did say however that any change in schedule would be intended to maximise potential demand for the company's products.
The company also assured its support of HD-DVD for the next generation DVD technology has not changed. In the race for next generation DVD formats, there is HD-DVD and also Blu-Ray Disc from Sony Corp. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Both formats utilize the use of blue lasers, which have shorter wavelength than red lasers allowing data storing at high densities.
Blu-Ray is to be used in the upcoming Playstation 3 console, which is Sony's next generation gaming console expected to become available in spring 2006. Toshiba had planned to launch HD-DVD players in the fourth quarter of 2005 in Japan and the United States, but now its a possibility that products will not be available anywhere in the world until after December.
"We are now in talks with Hollywood studios and large-scale retailers to seek the most effective timing of the launch and best way to launch," a Toshiba spokeswoman said. "We originally aimed for the year-end launch in the United States. But we have not really decided on that."
Source:
Reuters
Blu-Ray is to be used in the upcoming Playstation 3 console, which is Sony's next generation gaming console expected to become available in spring 2006. Toshiba had planned to launch HD-DVD players in the fourth quarter of 2005 in Japan and the United States, but now its a possibility that products will not be available anywhere in the world until after December.
"We are now in talks with Hollywood studios and large-scale retailers to seek the most effective timing of the launch and best way to launch," a Toshiba spokeswoman said. "We originally aimed for the year-end launch in the United States. But we have not really decided on that."
Source:
Reuters
