Blu-ray Still Singing the Blues
It's a little bit ironic, don't you think? After all the dust in the consumer electronics war between HD DVD and Blu-ray settled, it appears that not many people really cared at all. In a survey by Harris Interactive, only 9% of people who don't own Blu-ray already have any plans to buy a player in the next year, although a majority knew the format debate was over. This counters all speculation that consumers were waiting for the war to end. As it turns out, they didn't give a damn.
The survey of 2,500 adults in the U.S. had an even more surprising result. Of the people surveyed who already owned a high-definition TV, only 14% said they would buy a Blu-ray player within the next year. A little too ironic, don't you think? As always, the bottom line is most likely price. With a lack of Blu-ray players available for under $300, the average consumer isn't going to make the leap, especially since standard-def players are so cheap and discs are readily available. What if you had a victory party, and nobody came?—Leslie Shapiro
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