Toshiba Cuts HD DVD Forecasts

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 6/12/2007

Tokyo — A high-ranking Toshiba executive revealed to reporters here that disappointing sales in the United States have reduced the company’s sales projections for HD DVD players and recorders, according to a Reuters’ report.

Yoshihide Fujii, head of Toshiba's digital consumer business, said Toshiba’s electronics group now expects to sell 1 million HD DVD players in North America by the end of calendar 2007, down 44 percent from its previous estimate of 1.8 million unit sales, Reuters reported.

Ironically, the revised sales forecast came just as HD DVD camp supporters revealed that recent Toshiba rebate promotions have pushed the entry-level HD DVD model (available at $299) into the top spot of all dedicated video disc players, including DVD on the Amazon.com Web site.

In fact, the company’s three HD DVD models also ranked as the three top-selling DVD players on Amazon.com’s Web site this week.

Previously, Fujii predicted Toshiba would sell 3 million HD DVD players and recorders worldwide by the end of the business year to March 2008, led by the United States.

Toshiba reported that more than 60 percent of all dedicated next-generation DVD players sold in North America used the HD DVD format as of the end of May.