Harris reports that 11% of consumers polled said they’d rather purchase a PS3 with web access, versus a similarly priced Blu-ray disc player without connectivity.
While we’re used to seeing people go wild over Blu-ray, it’s certainly not the norm.
Harris Interactive surveyed 2,529 U.S. adults from April 7 through 15, and found that only four percent actually own a Blu-ray player. Five percent of those asked currently own the PlayStation 3.
Whether it’s due to high prices or the current economy, it seems that consumers are giving Blu-ray the cold shoulder. Only nine percent of those asked plan to buy a Blu-ray player within the next year. I wonder what the response would have been if asked if they’d buy a player at a lower price. One-third of participants currently own an HDTV.
“Since Blu-ray disc player pricing averages more than $300, which is well above the cost for the latest generation of standard DVD players with up-converters, Blu-ray disc players may be encountering price sensitivity despite the advanced technology,” says Joan Barten Kline, VP of the Harris Interactive Media & Entertainment Practice.
Kind of funny: Six percent of the people polled have HD DVD players, with about half saying they will keep buying HD DVD movies as long as they’re available.
To those that want better displays at CE stores, but want the players to be below $200, all I have to say is pick one or the other.
Whoops, I pretty much said exactly the same stuff as Beerstalker! Sorry, didn’t see his post.
Also, another thing that has cut into BR’s numbers is the HD-DVD fiasco. If everyone could rewind two years, everyone would buy BR to begin with and their numbers would be much more respectable. Why hold that against them in an article that should be about the future. Sony has just recently cleared this difficult hurdle and the future will be bright for them. Their starting point is really NOW, not useless numbers compiled while the water was muddy with competition.
If only 33% of the people polled actually have HDTVs then the numbers really aren’t that bad for Blu-Ray. One thing I don’t understand, if 4% have Blu-Ray players, and 5% have PS3s, then are they saying that in reality, 9% of those polled do in fact have Blu players?
If that’s the case then the picture isn’t all that dim for Blu-Ray. I would conclude that about a third of those who could actually use a Blu-Ray player are already doing so. However that isn’t what this article portrays.
I think the article makes a good point. $300+ is too much for a DVD player. The PS3 at least gives you something more for your money. I think the fact that you can buy an upconverting DVD player for $100 and your HD picture is still very good is the stumbling block. Player and software prices are comparable to the laser disc era. People went with the more affordable alternative then as well.
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Blu-Ray, PS-3, DRM, One of the the worlds largest collections of music and media production: it’s all Sony. Netflix will have a box that will enable 1920/1080 downloads. Blu-Ray will have to come down in price to survive. You’ll see. HDTV’s will continually trickle into the mainstream, and I would see more interactive Blu-Ray players with connectivity in the future, though not from Sony for PS-3’s (4’s 5’s, etc.) sake, I would guess.
Ideally: have boxes that you rent your media from for less...but pay every time for. Tha’s what they want. Paid internet delivery every time, all the time.
Upconverting DVD’s? A nice cheap alternative. They do liook good--especially on smaller TV sets, Where will they fit in? Your 250.00 hard drive with 1 terabyte of storage--350+ full movies-- your own jukebox. That’s where.