“Much of the drive behind this increase is coming from growing consumer awareness and falling hardware prices, coupled with PS3 owners increasingly using their consoles for video playback,” said Futuresource Analyst Jack Wetherill. “I would be amazed if we don’t see a Blu-ray player in the U.S. at or below $250 by the end of this year, and in order to stimulate consumer traffic in the holiday season who’s to say there won’t be a product at closer to $200?”

With Blu-ray decks already available for around $275, it would indeed be shocking if they aren’t under $250 for the holiday shopping season, and I’d be surprised if there aren’t any for under $200 when the sales start. Futuresource also expects half of all consumer spending on home video to go to Blu-ray by 2012.