Japanese electronics giant Pioneer has said it plans to work with Sharp to offer Blu-ray recorders on the Japanese market by the end of 2008, hoping to latch onto a growing market as consumers move past the so-called "format war" between HD DVD and Blu-ray. Sharp already offers (pricey) Blu-ray recorders, and is a major investor in Pioneer. According to estimates from the Fuji Chimera Research Institute, the market for Blu-ray recorders in Japan is expected to explode between now and 2012, growing to some 3.6 million units a year. Pioneer hasn't announced any price ranges, feature sets, or target sales figures……

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