Panasonic to Bundle Blu-ray With Plasma HDTVs
The company may discount Blu-ray players.
By Swanni
That's according to an article by Dow Jones.
Masayuki Kozuka, a Matsushita spokesman, told Dow Jones that consumers who buy a Panasonic Plasma HDTV may get a discount on the Panasonic Blu-ray player.
However, he did not reveal pricing specifics or whether the bundle will apply to all Panasonic Plasma sets.
Matsushita could also decide to offer a lower price on a Plasma set if the buyer purchased a Blu-ray player at normal price.
The Panasonic DMP-BD10 Blu-ray player now retails for $599, although it can be purchased for $499 online and at some retail stores.
Kozuka said the bundle was designed in part to boost Panasonic's Blu-ray market share, which now stands at 10 percent, according to Dow Jones. (The market share does not include the Play Station 3, which has a Blu-ray player inside.)
If Panasonic offers a lower price on its Blu-ray player, albeit through the bundle, it will follow a similar effort by other Blu-ray makers to lower prices. For instance, Amazon.com is now selling a Samsung Blu-ray player for $299.
Blu-ray supporters have been under pressure to lower price since retailers began selling the entry-level Toshiba HD DVD player for under $200.
Kozuka said the bundle offer will be available at retailers such as Circuit City and Best Buy.
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