TiVo Coming to Japan by 2006?

A Japanese newspaper reported on Monday that TiVo has plans to enter the Japanese market as soon as 2006. According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, TiVo CEO Michael Ramsay recently told it that the company is looking for a partner in the country, whether it be a cable or Internet provider.

Entering the market could be tough for the American-based company, as several electronics manufacturers in Japan already have DVD recorders that perform many of the same functions that TiVo does. TiVo has also found that consumers are less receptive to its standalone boxes rather than its bundled services with provider DirecTV. This could have been the impetus in pursuing the deal with Comcast, which was announced last week.