Archive notice: This article was originally published on January 17, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Even after Hollywood studios’ diminishing support for the HD DVD successor format, Toshiba sees no reason to abandon the standard it developed. “HD DVD is alive!” Sascha Lange, Head of Consumer Electronics, declared today during the “CeBIT Preview” press information event in Hamburg. Toshiba would continue supporting HD DVD in Europe, Lange said, and following the recent price cuts in the U.S. market, players would also become less expensive in Germany.
In response to film studio Warner’s announcement that it would support only the competing Blu-ray format in future, Toshiba only recently reduced the prices of its players in the United States. Following the European price reductions, Toshiba says the HD-EP30 model will cost just under €200 including VAT, while the HD-EP35 version will be offered for under €300. This should not be understood as a clearance sale, Lange emphasized. “We are convinced that HD DVD offers customers the best package at the fairest price.”
In his argument, the Toshiba manager pointed out that HD DVD had a 60 percent market share in Europe for HD players (excluding PlayStation 3 and Xbox with HD drive); in Germany, the figure was as high as 70 percent.
The company intends to announce further information about its HD DVD strategy across Europe tomorrow.
