This weekend Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shinbun (Japanese) reported that Toshiba has announced they will be entering the Blu-ray market with a player before the end of the year. The company had pulled their support of their rival HD DVD format in February of 2008 after Warner announced they would no longer be releasing titles on the format. Since then Toshiba had been reluctant to enter the Blu-ray market choosing instead to push low-priced upscaling DVD players.
Apparently, the success of Blu-ray in the market and the amount of money to be made is too much for Toshiba to ignore as now Blu-ray is moving into the mass market stage, causing Toshiba to finally admit to their defeat and get on board. The DEG (Digital Entertainment Group) is reporting that Blu-ray Disc spending is up 91% in the first half of the year despite the poor economy, so this may be the perfect time for Toshiba to enter the market.
It is being reported that Toshiba will enter the market by year’s end with a Blu-ray Disc player, but given Blu-ray’s 50% market share in Japan and the 70% market share of Blu-ray recorders in that market, it is also likely Toshiba may develop a Blu-ray recorder at least for the Asian and European markets.