Netflix embraces Blu-ray, ditches HD DVD
By Matt Jansen
Netflix just announced that it will no longer purchase HD DVD titles, citing the four out of six major Hollywood studios that are now exclusively Blu-ray. Though a sound logistical decision, it may leave a welt for Netflix customers who own HD DVD players.
With over 6.7 million subscribers and 1.6 million titles shipped per day, Netflix has a long reach when it comes to home entertainment. Ditching HD DVD will force subscribers looking for future high definition media to buy a Blu-ray player, or find service with another company. Netflix competitor Blockbuster has exclusively stocked Blu-ray in stores for a long time, though its online service still offers some HD DVD titles.
The jockeying back and forth between Blu-ray and HD DVD has stretched on because of limited interest from mainstream consumers in upgrading to high definition players, and a series of marketing forays from backers of each format.
Netflix is following the trend as more content flows toward Blu-ray and is willing to risk irate HD DVD customers by choosing to “exclusively stock Blu-ray high-definition DVDs after a decision by some the world’s biggest movie studios in favor of the Sony Corp developed format,” according to Reuters.
“Netflix has stocked DVDs using both Blu-ray and the competing HD DVD format developed by Toshiba Corp since they first came on the market in early 2006.”
Specifically, Netflix told Reuters that “with such a clear signal from the industry, it will only buy Blu-ray discs going forward and will phase out stock of HD DVD by about the end of the year.”
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