Global sales of Blu-ray players are expected to eclipse that of DVD players within four years, according to a report from research company In-Stat.
Its figures predict 105 million hi-def disc-spinners will be sold in 2015 – although that is still some way off the 141 million DVD players that shipped in 2006 in the format's heyday.
In-Stat has also hammered the last nail into the coffin of DVD recorders, claiming that the technology would effectively die out completely in the next three years.
"Blu-ray recorders will replace DVD recorders," said Norm Bogen, VP digital entertainment with In-Stat.
"Many consumers of recorders will even drop the physical disk media option altogether and instead opt for a player with a large hard drive, or digital media storage."
Hand of VOD
Of course, this is something that manufacturers have already picked up on – disc-based recorder stalwart Panasonic recently announced a range of HDD recorders that also offer VOD services.
DVD recorders would only really continue to sell in Japan, reckons In-Stat – the same place where Blu-ray recorders are most likely to be bought. So it seems the watch-n-wipe culture promoted by TiVo and Sky+ is yet to catch on in the Far East.
While the predicted shipment figures are good news for the Blu-ray Disc Association, it may be concerned by In-Stat's findings that Blu-ray is on the wane in China, where the more affordable China Blue High-Definition (CBHD) format is taking hold.
