DisplaySearch, the research firm, says worldwide sales of standalone Blu-ray players will hit 2.38 million this year, compared to 700,000 in 2007.
The DisplaySearch numbers do not include sales of PlayStation 3 consoles, which also include the high-def Blu-ray player inside. With PS3 included, Blu-ray player sales will reach several million in 2008.
The research firm also said standalone Blu-ray player sales worldwide will double next year to 5.31 million. DisplaySearch credits the increase in sales to falling prices, the release of more Blu-ray titles and more purchases of high-def sets.
According to Video Business, Paul Gagnon, DisplaySearch's director of North America TV research, said standalone players will surpass the PS3 as the biggest selling Blu-ray player by 2010.
DisplaySearch released its forecast at yesterday's DisplaySearch "HDTV 2008" conference in Los Angeles.
Ross Rubin, the director of industry analysis for NPD, another research firm, agreed yesterday that high-def set sales will boost Blu-ray. But he added that the relatively high price of the player and customer satisfaction with current standard-def DVD players remain as major obstacles to Blu-ray's success, according to Video Business.
