Pioneer To Enter Blu-ray Recorder Market

[Ian]

I wonder if these are just going to be Sharp rebadges or if the Pioneer models will have some unique features.

http://www.reuters.com/article/technolo ... 5820080708

Japanese consumer electronics maker Pioneer Corp said on Tuesday it plans to launch Blu-ray DVD recorders by the end of the year, taking aim at a rapidly growing market after the end of a bitter format battle.

Pioneer is developing Blu-ray recorders with help from Sharp Corp, Pioneer's top shareholder with a 14 percent stake. Sharp already offers Blu-ray recorders.

Pioneer plans to start selling Blu-ray recorders in Japan before the year-end shopping season, followed by overseas launches.

The selling price and unit sales target have yet to be set, a Pioneer spokesman said.

[Ian]

Hmm.. this says it won't launch until March 2009 and that Pioneer hasn't made any overseas launch plans.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iCQi ... QD91PKT100

Pioneer Corp. will start selling Blu-ray disc recorders in Japan sometime before March 2009, the company said Tuesday, the latest in a string of Japanese electronics makers entering the increasingly competitive sector.

Pioneer spokeswoman Kayoko Tanaka said the decision to enter the domestic Blu-ray market anticipated burgeoning Japanese demand for products in the next-generation video format. No decision has been made on overseas sales plans, she said.

Pioneer will develop Blu-ray DVD recorders with partner Sharp and sell them under the Pioneer brand targeting high-end consumers, Japan's top business daily The Nikkei reported earlier Tuesday. Tanaka declined comment on the details of the report.