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Samsung confirms 2nd generation Blu-ray not coming to UK in April

Samsung UK still undecided whether or not to bring 2nd or 3rd generation player to UK

14 March 2007 0:51 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Samsung has confirmed that the UK won't be getting its 2nd generation Blu-ray player due to be released in the US in April at the same time.

Talking to Pocket-lint Stephen Mitchell, marketing manager, Samsung Electronics Ltd told us "We don't know whether the 2nd generation player will be launching in the UK or not or whether we will wait until the 3rd generation player before Christmas".

The company has said that it is developing a 3rd generation machine due out before Christmas in both the UK and the US.

However asked whether or not the company would look to create a hybrid player similar to the one announced by LG, Mitchell told us that "We can do it, but we are still waiting to see what the rest of the market does".

"We could launch a hybrid player or a Blu-ray recorder tomorrow, but until we see what other manufacturers are doing we are not going to be announcing anything."

Many manufactures including Samsung feel burnt by Sony's delay in getting the PS3 launched in the UK.

"Samsung launched its player in October last year believing that Sony would launch the PS3 the following month, it pushed it launch back by 6 months and so did all the content providers leaving Samsung left out in the cold to defend the cause", an industry insider told us.

Samsung also said that it believes both formats will be able to co-exist side by side. "We think Blu-ray is the stronger of the two", said Mitchell. "However we aren't ruling HD DVD out yet."

Samsung said that more announcements as to whether the UK would be opting to take the 2nd or 3rd generation player would be announced at IFA later this year.

We will keep you posted.