Samsung App Store Blu Ray Player
Samsung announced concluding week that it was no longer producing new 1080p or 4K Blu-ray players. If you're looking for the canary in the video-disc coal mine, information technology doesn't get any bigger than this.
Whether it's the latest artist or the hip new show on Netflix, streaming media is the norm today, and owning a streaming movie is more convenient than always, thanks to digital copies and services like Movies Anywhere. One upshot is that the popularity of cheap media streamers like Roku and Amazon Burn down Telly are on the ascension, while Blu-ray player sales are declining.
But people still keep to purchase disc players, and4K Blu-ray delivers best sound and video quality you can buy in home video -- without the need for a fast Net connection. Samsung made the first 4K Blu-ray player, the UDB-K8500, and still makes plenty of high-terminate TVs, so as a Blu-ray role player reviewer, its exit came as a surprise to me. Some experts say thatSamsung'south new partnership with Apple had an influence on the decision. Only I can't help only wonder how long the Blu-ray format can survive without the Large S.
Going out at No. 1
"Samsung will no longer introduce new (1080p) Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray player models in the US market," a Samsung spokesperson told me last week. When I inquired further as to why, the only response was: "We volition continue to sell through existing inventory."
Samsung'due south motility comes almost 12 months after Oppo discontinued its unabridged AV line, including its well-received Blu-ray players. While Oppo was a relatively niche make, Samsung has been the leader in Blu-ray thespian sales for the past iii years. Last year, Samsung had 37 percent of units sold, followed by Sony at 31 percent and LG at 13 percentage, according to data from marketplace research house NPD Grouping.
In improver, Samsung has iv of Amazon'due south 10 all-time-selling Blu-ray players including an unnamed refurbished model as number i, with the other slots filled by Sony players. LG doesn't announced until no. 12.
Blu-ray down, streaming upward
It volition surprise nobody that overall sales of Blu-ray players are on the pass up (see the chart below, per NPD). In 2018 there were almost 1.5 million fewer Blu-ray players sold than the 2 years earlier.
Blu-ray thespian sales
| | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Units | 5.6m | 4.8m | 4.2m |
| Selling toll | $76 | $79 | $81 |
In comparison, the number of streaming media players in people's homes has grown significantly. NPD doesn't capture unit sales of all streaming players, but information technology did give us the total installed base of streamers for the last four years, based on client survey data. The number of players doubled from 33.3 million in November 2015 to 67.eight million in November 2018.
Margins are typically low in a Blu-ray actor, and they involve more than moving parts than a streamer, likewise equally costing significantly more than. The least-expensive 4K Blu-ray players price around $100, whileRokus starting time at $30. Then, of class, there's the ubiquity and ease of streaming movies and TV shows instead of dealing with discs.
"Samsung'southward exit is probable a combination of all (these) things....declining sales with footling outlook for ASP (boilerplate selling cost) increases, leading to lower margins," said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD Group. "The market's increase in streaming and (Samsung's) imminent integration of both AirPlay and iTunes into its TV streaming platform direct mitigates the demand for a thespian."
Apple and Samsung, together on TVs
At CES 2019, Apple tree announced a partnership with Samsung assuasive users to access the iTunes store on the company'southward televisions. It's the first non-Apple device, autonomously from a PC, that will do this. Rivals Sony, LG and Vizio will also permit Apple users to broadcast from iPhones to TVs using AirPlay 2, but only Samsung TVs become admission to an actual iTunes app.
Samsung and other Blu-ray players take apps for Netflix, Hulu and other major steaming services, but a defended Roku or Amazon Burn down Stick is more often updated and can access many, many more than apps. About of the big traditional electronics brands rely on their smart TVs to deliver onboard streaming services.
"Samsung's brand imperative to offer all the devices in the Home Theater stack is just declining for them as their Telly, which is really their strength, becomes more capable," Baker said.
Samsung'due south 98-inch Q900 QLED Tv set offers 8K resolution
Sarah Tew/CNETFrom 1080p to 8K, from HDR10 to HLG, video standards are constantly evolving, and information technology's the televisions themselves that are leading the charge. Set-meridian hardware can become stuck in the by, and Samsung's last 4K Blu-ray player (released in 2018) doesn't back up Dolby Vision. Reflecting this combination of constant flux and contest from streaming, only two companies appear new Blu-ray players at CES 2019 -- Panasonic andSony.
It'south arguable that 4K Blu-ray came in ii years likewise late. The enthusiast-friendly benefits of the format -- 4K resolution, HDR (and Samsung'south variant HDR10+) and Dolby Atmos sound -- are now available on streaming platforms. Aye, Blu-ray's higher video chip-rate distinguishes it from streaming content, just with many titles it's tough to run across the benefit, and 4K HDR streaming can look spectacular. And of course, most people are happy to sacrifice the utmost video quality for convenience and the breadth of content.
Where Samsung goes, others follow
As the most popular manufacturer of both televisions and Blu-ray players when Samsung makes a move like this the manufacture takes notice. For example, Samsung was the first company to discontinue 3D televisions, and its competitors followed in quick succession. But Blu-ray isn't necessarily finished however, every bit Samsung's exit from Blu-ray will likely exist a boon for the company's competitors.
"There are just a couple of brands left, and I suspect they will benefit in the curt term from Samsung's determination and then reevaluate the value of the market for them longer-term," Bakery said.
The Sony X800M2 is just 1 of two 4K Blu-ray players announced for 2019
SonySimilar Samsung, Sony hasn't had a new 1080p histrion for since 2017, simply the visitor is hopeful about the X800M2 4K role player information technology appear at CES 2019.
"Sony Electronics continues to run into very solid demand for our 4K Blu-ray thespian lineup from customers that feel this format delivers the best 4K home-theater viewing experience", a Sony Electronics spokesperson told CNET.
Even so, the company understands that customers want the convenience of streaming and will continue to evaluate the marketplace.
"Consumers want options when it comes to enjoying video content, whether it's sourced from recorded media, video-on-need services, or broadcast television. And as our customer's needs evolve, Sony volition go along to provide them the flexibility to enjoy high-quality video content", he said.
LG, which didn't announce any new Blu-ray players at CES, did not respond to CNET'southward request for comment.
Discs volition take awhile to die
When was the last fourth dimension you watched a Blu-ray or a DVD? While I apply them for testing AV products I haven't watched a physical disc at habitation in at least a year. There's e'er that buzzy streaming prove that I want to run into instead. Yet I all the same take all my discs at home, both Blu-ray and CDs, and they aren't going anywhere.
Comebacks are non unheard of, every bit vinyl records and even cassettes have famously enjoyed a resurgence in the past few years. Vinyl didn't go away though -- in that 30-yr catamenia after the introduction of digital discs, vinyl continued to be sold, even if information technology was niche. Even at present, vinyl is still outsold by CDs.
In the same fashion it'due south unlikely that physical video media volition go away immediately. Videophiles looking for the best possible picture quality will probably continue to favor 4K Blu-ray. However, Samsung leaving the market illustrates that -- like vinyl -- the days of Blu-ray being a mainstream format are likely done. Streaming is besides pervasive, affordable and convenient.
Source: https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/samsung-stops-making-blu-ray-players-how-long-will-the-format-last/
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