Consumers might be happy about the price tags on the upcoming Blu-ray and HD-DVD devices, but the Taiwan manufacturers working on the FVD (Forward Versatile Disc) are not. The possible (and only?) competitive edge that FVD might have would be the manufacturing costs, which results in cheaper retail prices. But now as it seems that the leading Blu-ray and especially the struggling HD-DVD camps are coming up with lower than expected price tags.

The HD-DVD group, led by Toshiba, showcased an entry-level HD-DVD player model with a recommended retail price of US$499, about half the price originally expected by market experts, the Taiwanese ODD makers pointed out. Pioneer and Samsung, two members of the Blu-ray Disc (BD) group, exhibited BD players with recommended retail prices between US$1,000-1,800, 30-50% lower than the US$2,000-2,500 expected by market experts, the sources said.

The lower-than-expected price implies that the BD and HD-DVD camps will try to gain market share through pricing, the sources noted.

Check out our High Definition DVD FAQ for more info on the new formats.

Source: DigiTimes