Cheap Blu-ray players in the market for September

No-name brands could release their own Blu-ray players to take on the major brands by September, increasing competition and potentially driving prices down further. A number of Chinese factories were pushing sample Blu-ray players at the Hong Kong fair last week, which they say could be available for rebadging and manufactured by July or August.

Visiting the fair, Electronics Australasia managing director, Tony Pack, is quoted by dvd-recordable.org as saying that the players could allow new entrants into the category, which has to date remained the exclusive preserve of major consumer electronics brands.

“We have seen a few – maybe two – non-brand factories with a sample [Blu-ray player],” Pack said. “This would be the beginning of non-branded players entering the market. These players could be launched by house brands.”

In an interesting twist, these cheap players are being developed by one of the leading Japanese brands supporting Blu-ray technology. Factories were suggesting $499 as a retail price for the units.

Story filed 23 April 2008

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