3D TVs

Blu-ray Sales Rise as DVDs Fall

For movie lovers it is no surprise that DVDs are on their way out. With Blu-ray’s quality in picture and sound, many have made the switch from their conventional DVD player to Blu-ray players. With the popularity of the PlayStation 3 console that also includes a Blu-ray drive; even gamers are seeing the quality these disks have to offer. This transition was proven by the number of sales in 2011.

The Stats:

In 2011 consumers spent $18 billion in buying and renting both disks and digital movies. Even though this is a 2% drop than in 2010, Blu-ray sales topped $2 billion. This is a 19% increase than the previous year. Unfortunately this can’t be said for DVD purchases which saw a decrease of 20% with only $6.8 billion in sales.

For many of us who enjoy great picture and sound, we know which of the two offers the best. Blu-ray had a slow start in sales due to the additional devices needed in order to play the disks. However, consumers are now seeing the value and future of Blu-ray and are starting to make that transition.

The Reason:

Aside from the better quality of viewing Blu-ray offers, the lower cost of Blu-ray players have made an impact on the increase in sales. As with any new technology, the first round is usually the most expensive. As time passed and prices dropped, consumers made the transition and traded their DVD players for Blu-ray players. The fourth quarter sales were up 47% in 2011 than in 2010. This shows consumer acceptance of the format and the quality that comes with it.

Another factor in sales of Blu-ray is the variety of content. In the beginning only a few select new releases were available in Blu-ray. With re-mastering, even the classics are now available in high definition along with most of the new releases. Blu-ray is now being released alongside DVDs for those who value their home entertainment.

Prices in HDTVs have also fallen to make them more affordable to consumers, especially during the hard economic times. Those who purchased new HDTVs want to get the most out of their viewing. For that, Blu-ray was the right option.

Will it last?

Even with sales increasing and beating out DVD sales, there still stand the question of whether Blu-ray technology will last. With streaming video becoming more popular and even preferred by many viewers, Blu-ray released too late to see its full potential.

High Definition video can now be streamed over the internet to your favorite mobile device or even your internet capable HDTV. This is expected to be the future of movie and TV and will phase out the use of disks altogether. Streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu has seen an increase in subscribers in the past year. This has sparked a lot of debate on the future of Blu-ray.

Roger Carson is an independent filmmaker who compared different disc manufacturing offerings to find the best deal.