Samsung re-schedules Blu-ray player debut

Adds 1080p support, though

By Tony Smith • Get more from this author

4th April 2006 10:29 GMT

Samsung has put back the release of its Blu-ray Disc player by a month, the company has revealed. However, in compensation, it has apparently upped the player's output to a maximum HD resolution of 1080p. The BD-P1000 will now ship on 25 June, not 23 May as originally planned.

According to a variety of news sources, Samsung said it will delay the player's release to allow it to complete disc-compatibility testing. The manufacturer maintained it will still be the first company to ship a BD player in the US, ahead of machines from Sony, Pioneer, LG and Panasonic.

Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray Disc player

The player will retail for around $1000. Reports suggest it will now incorporate an 11-in-1 memory card reader, allowing it to display photos from almost any digital camera on the user's big-screen TV.

The first pre-recorded BD movies are expected to ship on 23 May, with a second batch following on 13 June taking the total of titles to 15.

Pioneer has provided no update to its January-announced June US ship schedule. But Panasonic's sub-$1,500 player, the DMP-BD10, isn't due now until September. Sony's 1080p-capable BDP-S1 is set to ship in the US in July priced at around $1,000.

Samsung's announcement comes a week after Toshiba began shipping its HD-XA1 HD DVD player in Japan. The HD-XA1 is expected to ship in the US, along with the lower-end HD-A1, but as yet it's not clear when they will go on sale. ®