Samsung Electronics Taiwan Co (三星) announced yesterday a strategic partnership with Blockbuster Inc Taiwan (百視達) and Tsann Kuen Group (燦坤實業), a local electronics retail chain, to introduce Samsung’s new Blu-ray disc player at a significantly lower price than similar models by Sony Corp and Pioneer Corp.
This is the first time Samsung is introducing a Blu-ray disc player — the BD-P1500 — in Taiwan.
The retail price is set at NT$22,900 — lower than Sony’s NT$39,900 and Pioneer’s NT$69,900 — at all Tsann Kuen outlets nationwide.
Austin Wei (魏家文), manager of Samsung’s consumer electronics product marketing department, called viewing Blockbuster movies using the BD-P1500 a top-quality audio-visual experience
“By delivering the best sound and the best picture, this ultimate high definition [HD] experience is nearly the same as going to a movie theater,” Wei said.
Wei hoped that the new, low price could attract buyers to switch to Blu-ray technology. He said the collaboration between Samsung and Blockbuster could make the transition for customers easier and help Samsung become a dominant player in the local Blu-ray market.
“The Blu-ray market will be growing in multiples, surpassing the DVD market in two to three years,” Blockbuster Taiwan general manager Jenny Cheung (張珍莉) said, citing a study by Taiwan Security Research at the National Taiwan University that forecast a 134 percent compounded annual growth rate for Blu-ray players this year.
Blockbuster members can have a taste of high-definition viewing at 20 of its stores that feature Blu-ray demonstration stands, Cheung said.
The company has more than 50 Blu-ray disc movies in its collection and plans to raise this to more than 100 titles in the second half of the year in line with the motion picture studios’ move toward Blu-ray technology.
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