Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/04/sony_delays_bd_movie_launch/
Sony's US home video division has put back the release of pre-recorded Blu-ray Discs by a month because machines capable of playing them will not be available until 20 June. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) had originally intended to ship the discs on 23 May.
"The majority of our retail base and hardware partners have requested that we reconsider this date to better coincide with the first commercially available Blu-ray-compatible hardware," SPHE president Benjamin Feingold said, Reuters reports (http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyid=2006-05-04T091255Z_01_N04194294_RTRUKOC_0_US-BLURAY.xml). This will "ensure a more coordinated launch".
The move isn't entirely surprising. Last month, Samsung said it was delaying the release (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/04/samsung_delays_blu-ray_player/) of its BD-P1000 Blu-ray Disc player to 25 June, and since this is still expected to be the first BD player to ship in the US, there's little point in shipping discs too far ahead of it.
June will also see the arrival of computer-oriented BD drives (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/21/panasonic_blu-ray_writer_launch/) from the likes of Panasonic and IO Data.
SPHE took the opportunity of the delay to revise its launch line-up, which now includes Underworld Evolution, 50 First Dates, The Fifth Element, Hitch, House of Flying Daggers, A Knight's Tale, The Last Waltz, Resident Evil Apocalypse and XXX.
Warner Home Video, among others, is also planning to offer movies on BD, but no specific dates have been announced yet. ®
Samsung moots dual Blu-ray HD DVD player (21 June 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/21/samung_ponders_dual-format_hd_player/
LG touts 4x Blu-ray Disc recorder (26 May 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/26/lg_touts_4x_bd-r_drive/
Sony pitches Blu-ray Vaio desktop for HD content creation (17 May 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/17/sony_vaio_blu-ray_desktop/
Sony to ship 17in Blu-ray Vaio next month? (15 May 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/15/sony_euro_blu-ray_vaio/
Sony plans 8GB NW-A1200 Walkman (11 May 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/11/sony_preps_nwa1200_walkman/
VMD to hit US with '100 titles' (8 May 2006)
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/
UMD format's outlook 'bleak', warns analyst (3 May 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/03/npd_sony_psp_umd_future/
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/
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/
HD DVD to outsell Blu-ray 2.5:1 in 2006 - report (20 April 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/20/hd_dvd_vs_blu_ray_market_stats/
Fujitsu unveils Blu-ray 37in HD PC-TV (11 April 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/11/fujitsu_deskpower_hd_tv_pc/
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/
Panasonic Blu-ray player to cost 'under $1,500' (29 March 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/03/29/panasonic_dmp-bd10_pricing/