Samsung delays Blu-ray players

Sony still plans to release titles in the high-def format on May 23

By Jennifer Netherby -- Video Business, 4/6/2006

APRIL 6 | As expected, Samsung pushed back the launch of its Blu-ray players a month, to June 25.

Samsung blamed the delay on compatibility testing with Blu-ray discs that it needs to complete before shipping the hardware.

“We still anticipate that the Samsung BD-P1000 will be the first Blu-ray player to launch at a national level in the U.S.,” Samsung said in a statement Monday.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment still plans to go ahead with the launch of its movies on the format on May 23, a spokesman said.

Warner Home Video senior VP Steve Nickerson said the studio will likely have some of its Blu-ray titles out around the release of Samsung’s players. Nickerson didn’t say which titles the studio will initially release on Blu-ray but said there will be some overlap with the titles it releases on HD DVD.

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