Shipments of Blu-ray recorders have increased in Japan to 122,000 units in June, up from 82,000 units shipped in May. This marks the first time that unit shipments have exceeded the 100,000 mark in a month.
The jump in units is attributed to the Blu-ray formats increasing growth, the anticipated pay out of Japanese mid-year bonuses and increased demand due to the Olympic games occurring in August.
Blu-ray recorders are the only option for Japanese consumers that are looking for a standalone unit, as read-only Blu-ray players are not generally available.
Certain Blu-ray recorders can be purchased for as low as US $420. Newer models as well as those with built in hard drives and additional features cost significantly more. There have been no announcements concerning the introduction of Blu-ray recorders to North America or Europe. Would you buy a Blu-ray recorder if they were made available?
