Washington, D.C. (January 6, 2009) -- Adams Media Research said yesterday that it was raising its year-end estimate of U.S. homes with standalone Blu-ray players from 2.9 million to 3.1 million.
The research firm said that fourth quarter sales, fueled by lower prices, went better than expected. Several retailers were offering Blu-ray players for under $200 during the holiday season.
"On the hardware front, things went exceedingly well," Tom Adams, Adams' president, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Adams Media Research did not include PlayStation 3 homes in its estimate of U.S. Blu-ray homes. But the NPD Group reported in November that 6.1 million PS3s, which have Blu-ray players inside, had been sold in the U.S. since launch.
If the two research firms are correct, that would mean that Blu-ray U.S. home penetration is now around 10 million.
However, despite the rise in player sales, Adams notes that Blu-ray discs did not sell as well as expected. The company had estimated that 30 million Blu-ray discs would be sold in 2008, but Tom Adams told the Hollywood Reporter that the final number would likely only be in "the mid 20's."
He blamed the disappointing disc sales in part on a late rise in player sales. However, many analysts have noted that consumers are reluctant to purchase Blu-ray discs because they cost more than their standard-def companions.
Commentary:
If Blu-ray companies want player sales to rise, they need to get those disc prices down. The higher prices are creating negative word of mouth about the high-def disc format, making it more difficult to sell the players and discs.
Comment on this article!
The research firm said that fourth quarter sales, fueled by lower prices, went better than expected. Several retailers were offering Blu-ray players for under $200 during the holiday season.
"On the hardware front, things went exceedingly well," Tom Adams, Adams' president, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Adams Media Research did not include PlayStation 3 homes in its estimate of U.S. Blu-ray homes. But the NPD Group reported in November that 6.1 million PS3s, which have Blu-ray players inside, had been sold in the U.S. since launch.
If the two research firms are correct, that would mean that Blu-ray U.S. home penetration is now around 10 million.
However, despite the rise in player sales, Adams notes that Blu-ray discs did not sell as well as expected. The company had estimated that 30 million Blu-ray discs would be sold in 2008, but Tom Adams told the Hollywood Reporter that the final number would likely only be in "the mid 20's."
He blamed the disappointing disc sales in part on a late rise in player sales. However, many analysts have noted that consumers are reluctant to purchase Blu-ray discs because they cost more than their standard-def companions.
Commentary:
If Blu-ray companies want player sales to rise, they need to get those disc prices down. The higher prices are creating negative word of mouth about the high-def disc format, making it more difficult to sell the players and discs.
Comment on this article!
__________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Click TVPredictions.com to see today's Swanni Sez.
© TVPredictions.com
______________________________________________________
Phillip Swann is
president and publisher of TVPredictions.com. He has been quoted in
dozens of publications and broadcast outlets, including CNN, Fox
News, Inside Edition, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The
Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, The Associated Press and The
Hollywood Reporter. He can be reached at swann@tvpredictions.com
or at 703-505-3064.
Click TVPredictions.com to read more news and features on TV
technology.