Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

New Products

Blu-ray Disc Awareness Rising

494723.gif

Challenges still remain for consumer adoption of next-generation DVD players and content, says The NPD Group

According to The NPD Group, a leading market research company, 45 percent of HDTV owners in the U.S. now claim to be familiar with Blu-ray Disc (BD), up from 35 percent in June 2007. And, while only 6 percent of all consumers surveyed said they plan to purchase a BD device in the next six months, NPD found purchase intent to be higher among the growing population of HDTV owners, boding well for the future of the format.

NPD’s “2008 Blu-ray Disc Report” reveals that 9 percent of HDTV owners plan to buy a BD-capable player in the next six months. “With HDTVs now in approximately 40 million US households, that percentage translates to a pool of almost 4 million potential BD player buyers,” according to Russ Crupnick, entertainment industry analyst for NPD.

Nevertheless, manufacturers still face challenges. Although HD-DVD is no longer a competitive threat, many consumers are content with standard-definition DVD players and content. The leading reasons cited as barriers to purchase were a perceived high cost of BD players and a belief that standard-definition DVD is “good enough.”

Blu-ray Content Opportunities
Consumers who purchased a BD set-top player cited “leading-edge technology” and a “superior viewing experience” as primary reasons for making the purchase. And they indicated a clear preference for BD content. In fact current BD set-top player owners expect that 80 percent of their upcoming purchases will be in BD rather than standard DVD. By comparison, 43 percent of PS3 owners use the BD capability in their consoles at least once a month; however, they do not view BD movies as often as set-top device owners do.

“The door is open for studios to feed the consumer’s appetite for Blu-ray content, and we expect sales to increase, as prices for hardware and software moderate in the coming months,” Crupnick said. “Even so it will take a concerted effort by manufacturers and retailers to ratchet awareness even further and convince all of those potential buyers of the superiority of Blu-ray Disc versus standard DVD.”

Data note: Data was collected via online survey, which was fielded between March 10 and March 20, 2008. Final data for the nationally representative sample was weighted to represent the U.S. population of individuals age 18 and older.

About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,600 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us or visit http://www.npd.com.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Latest Products

beyerdynamic Aventho 200, Amiron 200 and Amiron Zero in white lifestyle

New Products

Beyerdynamic AVENTHO 200, AMIRON ZERO & AMIRON 200 launch Q4 2025 with ANC, aptX Lossless, Bluetooth 5.4 in EU/Canada.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones in all colors (2025 model) Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones in all colors (2025 model)

New Products

Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen wireless over-ear headphones promise class-leading noise cancellation, USB-C lossless audio, Google Fast Pair and Spotify Tap for $449.

Edifier S880DB MKII Wireless Speakers Pair Lifestyle Edifier S880DB MKII Wireless Speakers Pair Lifestyle

New Products

Edifier’s S880DB MKII wireless speakers support LDAC with Bluetooth 5.3 for hi-res streaming instead of aptX HD or AirPlay.

Technics SL-40CBT Bluetooth Turntable in Gray with Wireless Speakers Technics SL-40CBT Bluetooth Turntable in Gray with Wireless Speakers

New Products

At $899, the Technics SL-40CBT Bluetooth Direct Drive Turntable features aptX Adaptive, built-in MM phono stage and three finishes.

Monitor Audio Creator W1L Large In-wall Speakers Lifestyle without grilles Monitor Audio Creator W1L Large In-wall Speakers Lifestyle without grilles

In-Wall Speakers

Large-format Monitor Audio Creator Series W1L, W2L, W3L in-wall speakers and Mount Boxes offer reference-quality sound that hides in plain sight.

Audio Pro A10MKII-W and A15MKII-W Wireless Speakers Audio Pro A10MKII-W and A15MKII-W Wireless Speakers

New Products

Discover Audio Pro W-Generation WiFi multiroom speakers with improved sound, AirPlay 2, Google Cast, and WiiM-powered app control.

Gift Ideas?

Ultra High-end Audio and Video 2025 Gift Guide

Floorstanding Speakers

Ultra luxury hi-fi loudspeakers, audiophile components, and a movie player you have to hear (and see) to believe.

You May Also Like

Advertisement

ecoustics is a hi-fi and music magazine offering product reviews, podcasts, news and advice for aspiring audiophiles, home theater enthusiasts and headphone hipsters. Read more

Copyright © 1999-2024 ecoustics | Disclaimer: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.



SVS Bluesound PSB Speakers NAD Cambridge Audio Q Acoustics Denon Marantz Focal Naim Audio RSL Speakers