| Blu-ray's swan song |
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As I went through the store, I was surprised to find that their shelves of Blu-ray titles remained almost fully stocked. Evidently, Blu-ray is so unpopular that Hollywood Video is having a very hard time even giving the titles away. Hats off to Sony. Here’s to winning the format war! If Hollywood Video’s response to Blu-ray’s lack of popularity is indicative of a national trend, it is only a matter of time before Blu-ray disappears from American society all together. If people don’t want free Blu-ray disks, then they simply do not want the format. The strength of any format is directly tied to its permeation. The ability of any format to permeate a market is dependant on the public’s perception of its value, which must exceed the cost of switching from the current standard. Recent history is filled with examples that support this notion. For example, the quality and convenience of DVD technology was so vastly superior to VHS that the public was able to justify the expense inherent in its adoption. Its perceived value outweighed its literal cost. The same can be said of every significant format that has established itself throughout the history of modern society. Blu-ray has been unable to infiltrate the American market because it does not provide enough value to outweigh its cost. The average person is not willing to pay $300 for a player and $30 for each title just so their screen image can have a higher resolution. I would much rather keep my money and forego the ability to see each of Robert De Niro’s pores. Since Sony seems to be unable to add value to Blu-ray or reduce its cost, the format is sure to continue to fade into obscurity. |