Panasonic Blu-Ray makes first appearance in the Middle East

While Blu-ray players have been available to UAE consumers in one form or another since as early as December 2006, the DMP-BD30 represents Panasonic's most up-to-date technology and is their first foray into the Middle East's Blu-ray market.

Blu-ray Disc (BD), is a next-generation optical disc format with the same dimensions as a standard DVD or CD, whose main uses are high-definition audio-video and data storage.

Panasonic's standard Blu-ray disk holds 25 GB of data - five times more information then what is available from DVD.

The DMP-BD30 Blu-ray Disc Player is also 100 percent 'backward compatible', meaning that it will play all DVDs and CDs.

Panasonic Marketing Middle East AV Product Manager Hitesh Ojha says Blu-ray technology enables consumers to experience the full capabilities of their High Definition television and surround sound sets in a way they were previously not able to.

"The whole Full High Definition movement is made for Blu-ray," he says. "As more movie tittles begin to emerge in the Blu-ray format, it will come to completely overshadow the DVD market as it already does in picture and sound quality. This is defiantly the next generation of home entertainment."

This isn't the first such prediction: a recent Entrepreneur.com article reported that Jacky's Electronics, the UAE's number one multi-brand retailer, had predicted an increased UAE demand for Blu-ray Discs after the HD-DVD format's recent defeat in the 'HD Wars' - the battle for high-definition DVD technology supremacy.

In February, Toshiba ceased production of its HD-DVD products after major US film studios and leading retailers favoured Blu-Ray Discs as the standard for next-generation DVD formats.

"We are expecting a surge of sales in the coming months, especially now that... Panasonic, have indicated their intention of introducing new Blu-Ray players during the year," Ashish Panjabi, Chief Operating Officer, Jacky's Electronics told Entrepreneur.com.

"There will also be increased demand for high definition LCD and Plasma television along with a price drop in Blu-Ray products," added Panjabi. "With the emergence of Blu-Ray, it is imperative customers have high-definition TV to enjoy the rich content benefits it delivers."