Now we know why Toshiba is apparently ready to swallow its corporate pride and begin selling Blu-ray players: According to new projections by the Consumer Electronics Assn., sales of CE products are expected to drop 7.7% in 2009, to $165 billion, as the recession continues to grind away consumer spending.
The one CE product category expected to show positive growth this year? Blu-ray Disc players. Unit shipments of stand-alone (i.e. non-PlayStation 23) Blu-ray players are expected to grow by 112% this year, to nearly 6 million, while revenue is expected to grow by 48%, even in the face of price cuts, to top $1 billion.
Any port in a storm. Even in formerly enemy territory.