Consumers don't see Blu-ray of light

ROCHESTER, N.Y. Blu-ray may have won the high-definition battle, but according to a new Harris Poll, that did not mean increased sales. Out of 2,529 U.S. adults surveyed, 4% reported owning a Blu-ray disc player. The numbers were similarly small for other high-definition players, with 5% saying the owned a Sony PlayStation 3, 6% an HD-DVD player and 9% owning an Xbox 360.

This compares to the 87% of U.S. adults who reported owning a standard DVD player. Furthermore out of those surveyed who did not own a Blu-ray player, only 9% said they would likely purchase one within the next year.

Nearly a quarter (23%) of those aware of the format war report that they had been waiting for the rivalry to play itself out before purchasing a high definition player, but by April they had yet to do so.

According to Joan Barten Kline, vp of the Harris Interactive Media & Entertainment Practice, “Since Blu-ray disc player pricing averages more than $300, which is well above the cost for the latest generation of standard DVD players with up-converters, Blu-ray disc players may be encountering price sensitivity despite the advanced technology.”