In a disappointing turn of events, FlatpanelsHD reports that LG has ended production of its Blu-ray player series, which includes the UBK80 and UBK90 models. With limited stock available, prospective buyers should act quickly to secure the last remaining units before they are sold out.
After Samsung and Sony's departure from physical media, LG was one of the last major manufacturers of Blu-ray players. The pace of innovation slowed down, as did the frequency of newer models, and to no one's surprise, LG has decided to exit the Blu-ray market, per reports. LG's latest offerings - the UBK80 and UBK90 UHD players were launched in 2018, dating almost six years back. Panasonic remains one of the last bastions guarding Blu-ray media, but its future remains uncertain as the industry transitions to online streaming.
Blu-ray players aside, even physical disks are at risk of extinction. Last year, Best Buy quit its Blu-ray and DVD business following market trends. Admittedly, consumer sentiment has shifted towards the more mainstream and hassle-free digital media experience. Companies naturally follow consumer trends; likewise, it didn't take much foresight to predict the eventual sunset of physical media.
The report mentions that LG Korea didn't exactly confirm the firm's withdrawal from the Blu-ray market, opening the door for a potential comeback if demand increases. As it stands, production has ceased, and inventory is expected to run dry shortly.
The ramifications of this change are profound - but only for enthusiasts and not the general public. This brings up the hot topic of digital ownership - where your rights to the media you purchased can be taken away at any time. Last year, Sony removed all Discovery content from users' libraries - content they bought. Luckily, the decision was reversed later on, but it still highlights how fragile ownership is nowadays. When you purchase something digitally, you merely obtain a license to use said product, not outright ownership.
Another prime example is The Crew from Ubisoft, delisted from Steam and made completely inaccessible even though it had a single-player mode. Despite its evident drawbacks, physical media is not tied to a remote server, giving users more freedom and a true sense of ownership.
