Sony has announced that it plans to launch a cheaper Blu-ray player this summer, with more functionality than its current BDP-S1 player.
The BDP-S300 is expected to retail at around $600, significantly cheaper than the $1000 price tag slapped on the BDP-S1, and putting it more in line with mid-range HD DVD players.
Toshiba plan to launch their HD-A20 player in the next couple of months, retailing for a similar price to the machine Sony are promising, and also featuring 1080p output.
Last month, Sony's President Stan Glasgow said that it could be three years before Blu-ray players dropped to $399. Well, I suppose it could still take that long, but it's plain to see that the price cuts and wars have already begun.
Another reason not to be an early adopter.
There's no word on what price the UK will pay when we see the player, though it could be that the PS3 is still the cheapest way to get into Blu-ray.

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