It has also been revealed that overall sales of HD DVD hardware grew 37 per cent in the USA, while software sales growth rose 20 percent in the first quarter of 2007 according to a quarter over quarter analysis conducted by Nielsen Net Ratings for the HD DVD Promotion Group.
The data was released during the Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) Home Media Expo in trhe USA.
In Australia Blu Ray has had a head start, with retailers like JB Hi Fi refusing to stock HD DVD players or content. However, the move to cheaper and integrated HD DVD players and the cranking up of HD DVD content could force consumers into JB Hi Fi competitors such as Harvey Norman, who are selling HD DVD players and software.
Mark Whittard, General Manager of Toshiba's Information Technology Division, has admitted Toshiba has been slow delivering HD DVD players and a HD DVD consortium due to the transition of Toshiba's AV products division from Melbourne based Castel to Toshiba Australia. "This is now behind us and we now have new HD DVD hardware and software in the channel and this will leader to sales. We also have a cheaper player than Blu Ray and we are now integrating HD DVD's into thousands of notebooks," he said.
