Samsung: We Could Make a Blu-ray/HD DVD Player, but We Won't

You might have noticed reports last week that Samsung has plans to make a universal hi-def DVD player than can handle both Blu-ray and HD DVD. Well, it turns out that there may have been some confusion. Samsung executives have sought to clarify that their product roadmap that showed a universal player under a label reading "Q3 2006" actually indicated their upcoming ability to make such a player, but not the plans to actually make one.

(Maybe I watch too many movies, but I can't shake the image of Samsung execs getting late-night visits last week from men in dark suits telling them they'd better change their plans for a universal player because it would be a shame if their homes should suddenly burst into flame.)

Meanwhile, Toshiba has said that they'd really like to have a unified DVD standard, and are willing to look at options should they present themselves. And, um, that's about it.

Looks like it's still all up to LG.