Report Charts Blu-ray’s Five-Year Performance

In 2009, News and Views discussed the Blu-ray format, defining it and offerings its pros and cons in comparison to DVD. In early 2011, we offered an update, detailing why Blu-ray is such an awesome format—unmatched audio and visual quality, special content and bonus features, internet connectivity, and lowering cost—and noting the format’s growing market share.

Now, five years after Blu-ray’s inception, Home Media Magazine has produced a supplemental booklet focused entirely on Blu-ray, entitled “Blu-ray Disc: 5 Years of Sustained Growth and a Home Entertainment Platform for the Future.” Statistical highlights from the report include:

General

• Since the format’s induction, the following have been produced:
• 1.4 billion Blu-ray Discs
• 50 million Blu-ray players and recorders
• 41 million PS3 devices
• 188 million Blu-ray recordable/rewritable discs
• 25 million Blu-ray PC readers/writers
• Avatar leads the pack in Blu-ray units sold: 1.5 million copies sold in its first day of release; 4.8 billion units sold in total in the U.S. and 8.4 billion units sold in total worldwide

2010 & 2011 Performance Results

• During the first quarter of 2011:
• The average cost of a Blu-ray title dropped 5.5% from a year ago
• Sales increased 10% over 2010’s first quarter
• For all of 2010, Blu-ray disc sales were up 68% over 2009, contributing $1.8 billion in revenue with 11.25 million Blu-ray devices sold for the year
• Production of Blu-ray Disc movies and TV programming exceeded 400 million units in 2010, almost a 60% increase over the previous year
• About 2.4 million Blu-ray players were sold in the U.S. through September 2010, up 96% from the same period in 2009
• About 10% of domestic homes now have a player
• 2386 new Blu-ray releases are projected for 2011, a year-over-year gain of 72.3%

Blu-ray 3D

• Among all its innovations, Blu-ray 3D is the most recent and impressive:
• Consumers with 3DTVs rated feature films on Blu-ray Disc their favorite 3D programming
• Worldwide 3DTV units will top 300 million by 2015
• 80 3D Blu-rays either available or announced in the U.S.
• 15% of Blu-ray discs players sold during the 2010 Black Friday weekend were 3D-capable

Predictions

• Blu-ray will account for 1/3 of total international spending (over $10 billion) on packaged media by 2014, according to IHS Screen Digest estimates
• Global Blu-ray disc sales will hit 412 million units in 2013, according to estimates from the Japan Recording-Media Industries Association
• HIS Screen Digest expects:
• 2011—3D Blu-ray spending to grow 533% over 2010 with $214 million in sales and 7.5 millions discs sold
• 2014—$909 million in sales; 41 millions discs sold
• 3D Blu-ray:
• Sales will reach $909 million by 2014, according to HIS
• By the end of 2011, 3D Blu-ray players will account for more than a quarter of all Blu-ray players in the U.S. market
• 40% of home in the U.S., Europe, and Japan will have a 3D Blu-ray player, recorder, or home theater by 2014

The report also provides a substantial definition of Blu-ray, charts the technology as well as the brand’s history, and provides an international perspective. I would highly recommend reading the report in its entirety to learn Blu-ray’s short, yet captivating story.

What do you think of the Blu-ray brand? Does this overwhelmingly positive report match the feedback you’re receiving from patrons? How is Blu-ray performing in your library?