Report: Yes, Blu-ray Disk Prices Coming Down

That's according to a report posted on Blu-ray technology watcher Blu-ray.com, whose deals-tracker feature examines pricing in Blu-ray disk retail in the U.S. and around the world.

"For those of you who have been using our new deals tracker, you may have noticed something interesting," writes Blu-ray.com's Josh Dreuth. "The major Hollywood studios are dropping their older catalog prices, resulting in Amazon pricing them for as low as $15! Now, while the DVD editions of these films are typically under $10, the price reduction should help draw those who couldn't justify the Blu-ray purchase due to the price."

Amazon.com is selling recent best sellers like "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" for less than $20 on Blu-ray, and vault action and sci-fi classics like "Rambo" and "Stargate" are $10. Blu-ray.com also cites price-reduction techniques by Paramount and Universal, who group like titles together as package buys, and Disney and Fox, who have begun providing DVD versions of movies as throw-ins with the Blu-ray purchase.

Despite winning the format war against HD DVD earlier in 2008, Blu-ray players were not poised for a blowout holiday season. But the technology didn't exactly snooze, either. The Digital Entertainment Group, which comprises movie studios and electronics manufacturers, reported Blu-ray sold 28.6 million disks in the fourth quarter, not the least of which were sales of records-demolishing Batman behemoth "The Dark Knight" in December.

DEG also cites 11 million Blu-ray players in the U.S., and recently, trade researcher DEGE (Digital Entertainment Group Europe) put Blu-ray's adoption in Europe at a fivefold increase from 2007 to 2008.

So will 2009 be what 2008 was not quite, the "year of Blu-ray?"

Well, the drumbeat was certainly loud at CES, where Blu-ray offerings were all over the place. Blu-ray capabilities are also staying hot as systems features, as seen in a recent reviewby the Channelweb.com Test Center.