The final quarter of this year is seen as a crucial time for the acceptance of both HD-DVD and Blu-ray formats, according to research by Understanding & Solutions (U&S).
There’s still a growing concern that consumers don’t fully understand the high-definition concept – and the confusion is being compounded by the choice of two HD disc formats.
And, there’s now a fear that both formats could be lost completely in a world of competing delivery options and viewing platforms.
Overall, Blu-ray has been leading for much of the year with two thirds of the discs sold in the US market and similar success in Japan – although in Europe, HD-DVD claims a greater share of the market.
Recent developments, including Paramount and Dreamworks’ decision to exclusively back HD-DVD, could erode Blu-ray’s lead. However, while this decision is a PR coup for the HD-DVD camp, it could also prolong the format and that’s not good news for the industry overall.
U&S concludes that industry support for Blu-ray hardware and content is the strongest and therefore has the greatest chance of market success. Whatever happens, the combined competition between formats will lead to more confusion and subsequently delayed consumer decisions – this war needs a winner.
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