Toshiba to release Blu-ray player before 2010

After months of speculation and rumors, Toshiba is now expected to release a new standalone Blu-ray Disc player before the end of year.

Toshiba, the company who helped develop and support the now defunct HD DVD format, refused to release a Blu-ray player last year, but consumer demand may have finally forced the company to develop a Blu-ray player.

The reason why Toshiba would want to develop its own Blu-ray player is simple: Money.  The company realizes that, despite turbulent sales since the end of the format war, there is money to be made in the HD market.  Furthermore, the interest in Blu-ray has gone up now that many companies have integrated streaming capabilities into standalone Blu-ray players.

Toshiba threw in the towel on HD DVD in February 2008, after consumers and movie studios began to adopt Blu-ray.  Once HD DVD folded, many consumers and analysts predicted market domination  by Sony, although Blu-ray adoption has struggled since HD DVD’s demise.

Compared to last year, the Digital Entertainment Group announced Blu-ray player and movie sales are both higher than the same point last year.  If true, then Toshiba’s decision to finally enter the market after a couple of years makes sense — if the company is able to swallow its pride, then at lea t one interesting Blu-ray player could be developed.

The Blu-ray Disc Association also noted Blu-ray is now officially in mass market phase, which makes it an even  better time for the company to finally release a Blu-ray player. 

I’m interested to see what price point Toshiba will aim for, because analysts believe there will be an extremely close price war between Blu-ray manufacturers this holiday shopping season.