Toshiba Cuts HD DVD Player Prices

NEW YORK, January 15: Toshiba has cut the prices of its HD
DVD players in a bid to step up its fight against Sony’s Blu-ray format.

Following Warner Bros.’ decision last week to exclusively
back Blu-ray, industry spectators have been predicting the demise of HD DVD,
with reports that both Universal and Paramount are mulling switching formats.
Blu-ray has considerable Hollywood support, with Fox, Disney and Lionsgate,
among others, releasing titles in the Sony-backed format. The lack of a common
standard has been blamed for the slow uptake of high-definition DVDs.

According to Reuters, Toshiba is slashing its HD DVD player
prices by 40 to 50 percent, beginning this week. “While price is one of the
consideration elements for the early adopter, it is a deal-breaker for the
mainstream consumer,” Toshiba executive Yoshi Uchiyama is quoted as saying in a
statement. The devices will now retail for between $149 and $399 in the U.S.

—By Mansha Daswani