It’s goodbye to the humble DVD player
The humble DVD player is still a feature in many homes but, if you do have one, it may be your last. That’s because last month Samsung announced it will not release any new DVD or 4K Blu-ray player models.
While the tech company didn’t give a reason, it’s likely due to the rise in popularity of movie and television streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon.
Another reason is that Samsung players are not as highly regarded as those made by rivals Sony and Panasonic as they lack Dolby Vision HDR support that home cinema fans prefer.
However, it’s still a bit surprising as Samsung only just introduced its first 4K Blu-ray player three years ago.
Also, as 4K televisions are now more affordable it could be expected people may update their old DVD players to a 4K model.
But the tech world is quickly moving away from physical media such as DVDs, especially in countries with fast internet connections such as New Zealand.
While not all Kiwis have access to quick download speeds, most people will do in the next few years, so more people may look to sell their DVD players.
Getting access to DVDs is also getting harder.
It’s estimated there are fewer than 30 DVD stores in New Zealand, and soon there will be only one Blockbuster store left in the world.
Australia has one that is closing at the end of this month leaving one store in Oregon. Fifteen years ago there were 9000 Blockbusters worldwide.
It’s still easy to buy DVDs but there seems like there’s little demand for 4K discs – The Warehouse only has one title available on its website. That’s compared to the few hundred 4K titles available on Netflix.
Samsung is making the right move getting out the DVD player business. It’s been in decline for several years and will soon be a niche market that’s unlikely to be profitable.
However, while 4K DVDs will unlikely take off, it should still be easy to buy standard DVDs as they’re still popular to buy in many countries with poor internet speeds.
The future of watching movies at home is streaming so if you were planning on upgrading or replacing your DVD player, you’re better off spending your money on improving your internet connection.
Blayne Slabbert