Samsung Delays Blu-ray Player Launch
Samsung will delay the US launch of its Blu-ray Disc player by one month. The delay has been called to allow compatibility testing with Blu-ray Disc test media due in April, Samsung said. Once compatibility is confirmed the player will be ready for mass production, it said.
The new launch date has been set for June 25 and Samsung confirmed the player price at $999.
The player was due to launch on May 23, the same day Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Lionsgate Films had chosen to release their first Blu-ray Disc movies.
Sony Pictures said it remains committed to a May 23 launch date for its first titles despite the likely lack of any playback hardware. Lionsgate could not immediately comment on whether its launch plans remain in place.
Blu-ray Disc is one of two new optical disc formats vying to replace current DVDs for high-definition content, such as movies.
News of the Blu-ray Disc player delay comes days after the rival HD-DVD format was commercially launched. Toshiba Corp began selling an HD-DVD player in Japan on 31st March and will put the same machine and a cheaper model on sale in the US in the middle of April. The first commercial software is due out in Japan this week and movie titles will launch in the US on April 18.