AnandTech is reporting from CEDIA that Blu-ray has overtaken HD DVD in standalone player sales. See the slide above. Sony’s claim is that this started with the release of the $499 Sony BDP-S300 player, but it might also have to do with Toshiba’s early announcement of their 3rd generation players helping put the damper on 2nd generation sales. But, in any case, if this is true it shows that’s the HD DVD camp’s claims about low prices winning the war aren’t panning out. Toshiba is refuting the claim. However, their refutation does not really say Sony’s claim is false. They point out that HD DVD has 55% *year to date* sales, and even say that “the competition may claim leadership based on one month of data” – but they never actually say that, over the current period where Sony claimed the lead, that BD is not leading. Looks like spin to me. To me it looks like BD has had a slim lead for the past few weeks, but that HD DVD definitely has a year to date lead – since it lead for most of the year. So both sides are right.
Via EngadgetHD and Format War Central.
