While PC vendors have forecasted that the price of Blu-ray drives will fall
by as much as 30% this year, DigiTimes is reporting that this might not be the case. Due to the increased cost of components, such as
PUHs, drive manufacturers have indicated that the price of Blu-ray drives may actually rise as much as 10% in the
near-term.
PC vendors are forecasting a price drop of 7-10% a quarter, with the price level for the fourth quarter of 2008
expected to be 30% lower than current prices, the sources noted. For example, international vendors expect ODM/OEM quotes for half-height
BD-ROM drives to drop from US$95-100 currently to US$70 in the fourth quarter of 2008, the sources pointed out.
However, the cost
of PUHs and other components of BD drives have risen a few times since the second half of 2007 and price hikes of another 5-10% are
possible in the near-term, mainly due to price increases for materials, the sources explained.
While a price drop is
inevitable, it may be worth waiting to see how things shake out. If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes.
