Blu-ray, announced at the time as the ultimate successor to DVD, never really found its place. In the United States, a Circana study recently revealed that DVD represented 71% of physical media sales, leaving Blu-ray far behind. The situation is getting worse as major player manufacturers are gradually abandoning this sector.
A disappearing market
Latest to date, LG has just officially stopped the production of its Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray players, as reported by several specialized media, including FlatPanelsHD. The UBK80 and UBK90 models, launched in 2018, will remain available while stocks last. Since then, LG has not introduced any new models, a clear sign of growing disinterest in this market.
The Korean firm is not the first to draw a line under Blu-ray players. Samsung had already thrown in the towel in 2019, while Panasonic and Sony have not released new models in recent years. Even if LG does not rule out returning to the market in the event of a resurgence in demand, this scenario seems unlikely given current trends.
The decline of Blu-ray can largely be explained by the rise of streaming services. These platforms offer a huge library, accessible in just a few clicks and without cluttering the shelves. In comparison, physical discs, as good as they are in terms of image and sound, struggle to attract new generations of consumers.
Game consoles, the last bastion of Blu-ray players, are also contributing to this decline. Microsoft offers a version of its Xbox Series Let’s not hide the truth: the physical disk is becoming less and less central in entertainment ecosystems.
Despite everything, some enthusiasts hope for a resurgence of Blu-ray, like the return to favor of vinyl or audio cassettes. But for the moment, even this niche market seems to be turning more towards VHS, popular with collectors, than towards Blu-ray.
Blu-ray, once the symbol of high definition, today illustrates the decline of physical media. With LG withdrawing and a market saturated by digital alternatives, it becomes difficult to imagine a bright future for this format. If Blu-ray players continue to exist through a few specialized brands like Reavon or Magnetar, they are now aimed at a handful of enthusiasts.
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