Following the commercial launch of the universal player that can tap both Blu-ray and HD DVD markets there are many more similar devices incoming according to technology research firm ABI research, which believes that such hybrid players will essentially end the war of formats. However, due to high pricing of blue-laser players their mass adoption is still far ahead. ABI Research believes that by creating a player that accommodates both Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs, the Korean manufacturer LG Electronics may have created a precedent that the rest of the industry will have to follow.
"We believe that universal players will come to dominate the high-definition DVD player market," said Steve Wilson, the firm"s principal analyst of consumer electronics. The research firm also speculates that Samsung is expected to release its own universal player "soon", and others, including large consumer electronics vendors, may follow suit "before long". ABI Research forecasts sales of 2.4 million players in 2007, rising to 55 million in 2011.