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Sony, the sponsor of the Blu-Ray format, and Toshiba, with its HD-DVD solution, have been lining up manufacturers and movie studios on their sides in order to gain a critical mass large enough to convince consumers to buy their format.

Earlier this year, with billions at stake, attempts to forge a unified format between the two opposing camps broke down. However, Speaking to the Financial Times Deutschland, Samsung's head of consumer electronics, Choi Gee-sung, said 'We would welcome a unified standard but if this doesn't come, which looks likely, we'll bring a unified solution to market .'

The fear is that many consumers will delay buying into the new high capacity DVD format until a clear winner starts to emerge. By providing a dual-format machine, Samsung will offer a solution that reassures buyers that they won't be landed with obsolete kit. 'It won't be simple,' said Gee-sun, 'but you'll see our solution in the coming year. Consumers will be too confused otherwise.'