Toshiba, in expectation of surging demand for high-definition video due to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, will launch HD DVD recorders in China in 2008 in a bid to promote the HD DVD standard over the Blu-ray Disc competitor, according to industry sources in Taiwan, reported by DigiTimes.

TV broadcasters in China project eight million LCD TVs will be sold in China in 2007 and the demand will rise to 10 million units in 2008, the sources indicated. The growth in demand for LCD TVs reflects increasing demand for HD video, which is conducive to the sale of HD DVD and/or BD players/recorders.

In 2006, Toshiba started developing low-cost HD DVD recorders specifically for the China market. In order to minimize production costs, Toshiba plans to use Chinese makers of optical disc drives for OEM production, the sources noted.

Toshiba in early 2007 set a global sales goal of three million HD DVD players/recorders for this year, but sales in the US and Europe have so far been short of expectations due to strong competition from BD players. As a result, Toshiba has reduced its 2007 sales target for the North American market from 1.8 million units to one million units.

Story filed 15.07.07