Sony, Matsushita to launch Blu-ray Disc camcorders in 2005: report

0 Comments | AFP, October, 2004

TOKYO (AFP) — Sony, Matsushita and other firms are planning to launch camcorders using next-generation, smaller DVDs in the Blu-ray format as early as 2005 to win a lead over a rival offering, a report said.

Sony Corp., Matsushita Electric Industrial and Sharp Corp. plan to develop a Blu-ray disc eight-centimetres (3.2-inch) in diameter, four centimetres smaller than conventional discs, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said.

The firms also plan to introduce camcorders that use the smaller discs which are capable of recording more than an hour's worth of high-quality motion pictures, the newspaper said.

The retail price will be about triple the price of traditional camcorders, it said.

Spokesmen at Sony and Matsushita said no decision had been made on whether...