Blu-ray Surpasses DVD in Japan

Although Blu-ray has a very long way to go before it overtakes standard DVD in most people's homes, Sony's high-definition format has been gaining some momentum of late, thanks in part to lower prices on Blu-ray players, increased adoption of cheaper HDTVs, and compelling releases like this week's The Dark Knight. In Japan, Sony got a bit of good news recently, as GfK Retail and Technology revealed that sales of Blu-ray players reached record levels.

For the first week in November, Blu-ray Disc recorders surpassed a 50 percent market share compared to DVD recorders. Back in October 2007 Blu-ray only accounted for 10 percent of the market. GfK pointed to falling prices for the "rapid growth" of Blu-ray in Japan. "GfK Retail and Technology estimates that the price will continue to be reduced in the build-up to Christmas and the product may become 'one-to-watch' during the winter sales," the firm said.

Furthermore, GfK has indicated that the transition from DVD to Blu-ray is happening much faster than the previous transition from VHS to DVD. Blu-ray Disc recorders are replacing DVD recorders 1.5 times faster than DVD recorders replaced VHS recorders. "One of the principal reasons for this quicker rate of change is the rise in sales of Flat Panel TVs, enabling viewers to experience digital high definition broadcasting. Blu-ray Recorders can record digital high definition broadcasting without any drop in quality, which has assisted the accelerated demand for this product," GfK stated.