Today Panasonic announced [JP] they will introduce the world’s first Blu-ray discs with 6x writing speed in Japan next month.

The company will offer 25GB (LM-BR25MD) and 50 GB (LM-BR50MD) versions. The new discs feature a maximum data transfer speed of 216Mbps. Panasonic claims this is 20% faster than the transfer speed of 16x DVD-R discs.

The 25GB discs will be priced at $16 per piece, while the 50GB version will cost $37. The company also said Blu-ray disc drives compatible with the new discs are scheduled to go on sale in Japan in September this year.