A lot of Blu-ray News last week and over the weekend...a few rumors, hardware pricing announcements and some optimism about growth.
Another rumor flew around the web that stated Blu-ray would be coming to the XBox 360. But hopes were dashed as Microsoft not only quelled the rumor but naysayed the format citing a) their investment into online library of content to be delivered electronically and b) Blu-ray's high price/lackluster sales...which is ironic considering the big news this week about Iron Man on Blu-ray. This also seems a little premature but MS has historically reaffirmed Mr. Gates' early statements during the format war that Blu-ray will be the last physical format. Another rumour yet to be confirmed or denied is the Apple news that Blu-ray will be included on their new notebook(s). We'll see what this week's news brings...
Iron Man was the big news in sales, along with pre-sale figures on The Dark Knight ("TDK"). These are top-notch titles that prove there is considerable demand from consumers wanting to see/hear them in pristine HD. This, paired with the story in Video Business stating Parks Associates predicts worldwide Blu-ray player sales will jump 800 percent over the next four years to 40 million, warmed
Kurt Scherf, Parks' principal analyst, estimates that standalone Blu-ray player sales (not including the Sony Play Station 3, which has a Blu-ray player inside) will hit five million worldwide this year, compared to 800,000 in 2007. Video Business notes that the NPD Group said last month that Blu-ray player sales will triple this year and double again next year. "As a category, it's going to outpace a lot of other consumer electronics sales, because we see Blu-ray players complementing what's happening with HDTVs overall," Scherf told the publication. He added that Blu-ray sales will be driven in part by a dramatic expansion in new titles from the Hollywood studios.
I also believe that the introduction of lower priced hardware will make these numbers a reality. Two major announcements about lower priced hardware were 1) Target announces a $229 player sold today and 2) a revelation that there will be a $159 player sold on Black Friday. Coupled with the bundling news from Amazon (you can get the Ultimate Matrix Collection along with a BD player for just under $229) means we will have a "Blu" christmas indeed!
