News

posted on 23 June 2008 07:41

Pioneer has lowered the price of a combined Blu-ray and DVD drive on sale in China by 40 percent. Taiwanese prices for such Combo Blu-ray drives are also falling with high-definition video recording of the Beijing Olympics being regarded as the driver.

A price cut of 41.2% was announced by Pioneer earlier this month, from 1,699 yuan to 999 yuan ($145). The Taiwanese version of the product is much more expensive but its price is falling too, from NT$9,500 to less than NT$7,000 ($230) with some free Blu-ray disks included. (US Pioneer Blu-ray Combo drive pictured.)

Sony is launching a Blu-Ray Combo drive in Taiwan in July priced at NT$7,000 too.

Blu-ray combo drive prices are higher than pure Blu-ray drives and higher than the combined cost of separate Blu-ray and DVD drives. DVD burners also operate faster than the DVD burning function in a Blu-ray Combo drive. Despite these disadvantages it is expected that the DVD drive included in many PCs will migrate to a Blu-ray-DVD combo drive.

More in Digitimes here and here.

^{[Paul Roberts, news editor.]}