Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/20/hd_dvd_vs_blu_ray_market_stats/
HD DVD will have taken almost 70 per cent of the high-definition media market by the end of the year, leaving rival format Blu-ray Disc with a market share of just 30 per cent. So claimed market watcher ABI Research this week, though it warned the picture may change in 2007.
ABI paints the arena as a Sony vs Toshiba fight, noting that Sony's Blu-ray player is four months away while Toshiba's HD-A1 and HD-XA1 HD DVD players are shipping in the US now. Samsung's player is supposedly just two months away, so Toshiba's lead isn't as long as ABI suggests, but it's a good one nonetheless.
It also has the price advantage - Toshiba's machines are about half the price of the competing Blu-ray Disc players - and that's what will propel HD DVD to market domination this year, ABI reckons.
How long it retains the lead remains to be seen. The PlayStation 3, due in November, could well start reversing the two format's relative market positions. Possibly not in the immediate term - most early buyers will be focused on games - but certainly as 2007 rolls by.
But the early market lead is important for HD DVD. Content providers will look for one format to establish itself above the other, allowing them to move behind it. A few studios support both formats, but most favour one or the other. Those promoting Blu-ray will be tempted to shift allegiance - or at the very least support both formats - if HD DVD builds a clear lead early on. ®
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http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/08/15/dvd_war/
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http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/23/toshiba_hddvd_player_subsidy/
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http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/26/hd_dvd_to_get_region_coding/
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http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/15/sony_euro_blu-ray_vaio/
Sony, Panasonic partner on HD-on-DVD spec (11 May 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/11/sony_panasonic_avchd_spec/
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http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/08/nme_vmd_us_launch/
Sony to ship 50GB Blu-ray recordables in June (5 May 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/05/sony_dual-layer_bd-r_bd-re/
Sony delays Blu-ray Disc movie launch (4 May 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/04/sony_delays_bd_movie_launch/
Sky names HD launch day (4 May 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/04/sky_names_hd_launch_day/
TDK cracks 200GB Blu-ray Disc problem (28 April 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/28/tdk_200gb_blu-ray_disc/
Panasonic to ship Blu-ray writer in June (21 April 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/21/panasonic_blu-ray_writer_launch/
RCA HD DVD player due 18 May (21 April 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/21/rca_hdv5000_launch_date/
IO Data preps pricey Blu-ray Disc writers (21 April 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/21/iodata_blu-ray_disc_writers/
Blu-ray another Betamax - MS Xbox exec (21 April 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/21/ms_xbox_360_goes_hd_dvd/
Universal releases first HD DVD movie (18 April 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/18/universal_releases_first_hd_dvd/
Fujitsu unveils world's third HD DVD laptop (11 April 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/11/fujitsu_95sd_hd-dvd_laptop/
Fujitsu unveils Blu-ray 37in HD PC-TV (11 April 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/11/fujitsu_deskpower_hd_tv_pc/
Acer unveils world's second HD DVD laptop (7 April 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/07/acer_unveils_aspire_9800/
Samsung re-schedules Blu-ray player debut (4 April 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/04/samsung_delays_blu-ray_player/
Rivals start to spin Blu-ray, HD DVD alternatives (31 March 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/03/31/next-gen_dvd_rival_roundup/
Toshiba HD DVD player ships in Japan (31 March 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/03/31/toshiba_hd-dvd_hd-xa1_on_sale/
Ulead yanks Blu-ray support from week-old app (29 March 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/03/29/ulead_yanks_blu-ray_support/
Sony says PS3 will be region-free (24 March 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/03/24/sony_ps3_region-free/