Another delay in new gen optical devices distribution?

The new generation optical devices, Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, could face another obstacle that will delay their spread in the end-consumer market: It seems that the production of some makers of blue-laser pick-up heads (PUHs) is insufficient to meet increasing global demand.

According to industry sources in Taiwan:

The production of blue-laser pick-up heads (PUHs) by only a few makers, including Pioneer, Philips, Hitachi and Sony, is insufficient to meet increasing global demand for blue-laser DVD players, recorders, drives and burners, and the shortage is expected to be significant in the fourth quarter of this year.

The Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3, with a built-in Blu-ray Disc drive), which is scheduled to be launched in November, accounts for part of the demand, and this could cause delays also on the PS3 launch.

The main concern for the end-user, now, is related to prices: According the simplest market laws, if there is a high demand and a low availability, usually this is translated in a rise of prices. Will we see a further rise of the already high prices for the first generation devices?

Source: DigiTimes Systems