The beginning of the end for physical discs?
Slowly but surely, spinning disks are currently dying out, and Samsung just place another nail in their coffin. The business told Forbes that it’s performed making 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players — and CNET was able to affirm that Samsung is halting production on at least some of its 1080p players as well.
“Samsung will no longer present new Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray player models in the US market,” a Samsung spokesperson told CNET.
Technically, there is still the possibility that Samsung may continue to create its present Blu-ray players for months or even years ahead — the business still has a number of versions available — or introduce new ones in particular countries outside the US. We have asked Samsung to clarify.
But practically speaking, Samsung may have just announced that it is quitting the Blu-ray business, like Oppo did last April.
Even though Samsung was gung-ho enough about 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays to conquer every other company to the punch with the first player in 2016, it’s not all that surprising that Samsung might bow out early now. Discs are with research firm Nielsen recently using Blu-ray and DVD players as the example.
“Some devices, for example DVD/Blu-ray players, are in the declining phase of their product life span as streaming devices get prominence,” reads Nielsen’s Q2 2018 report, adding that just 66% of TV watching households have one now, compared to 72% the year before. Nielsen also claims that that the US adult spends 5 minutes per day — by far the least of any screen action — with a DVD or Blu-ray player.
And streaming services have awakened in a big way too, especially by making 4K flows less expensive. Apple and Google both sell 4K movies for the same cost as 1080p HD now and will update your HD movies to 4K for free. Amazon especially dropped its costs as well. An streaming device, Additionally has never been simpler than it is now.
You can definitely argue that discs continue to be the very best experience, together with the best picture and sound quality. I prefer popping at a Blu-ray myself. But involving the fact that 4K films aren’t always actually 4K but mastered at reduced resolutions and streaming’s increase, they might simply not be persuasive enough as a company anymore.
Perhaps Sony was not being stingy as it omitted a 4K Blu-Ray participant from the PS4 Pro. It was only being smart.
