25GB recordable and rewritable discs hit the shops in the US

TDK has begun shipping 25GB recordable and rewritable Blu-ray discs to retailers in the US.

The 25GB BD-R recordable discs will sell for $19.99 (£11.50), while the 25GB BD-RE rewritable discs will retail at $24.99 (£14.35).

TDK is one of the founding members of the Blu-ray Disc Association alongside companies such as Sony and 20th Century Fox. The company plans to expand on the offerings with discs that hold 50GB.

50GB recordable discs will cost $47.99 (£27.50) and rewritables will be $59.99 (£34.50). The 50GB media have a dual-layer recording material, while the 25GB discs are single layer.

Bruce Youmans, vice president of marketing at TDK, explained that the Blu-ray discs were among the most significant product introductions in the company's 70-year history.

"TDK has been involved in the development of blue laser recording technology since 1998, and TDK innovations such as hard coating and inorganic dye formulation have played an essential role in making this revolutionary new format a reality," he said.

The discs are manufactured at the company's Chikumagawa Techno Factory in Japan.