DVD player sales plummeting as film lovers switch to downloads

Sales of DVD players have fallen to their lowest level for seven years, leading experts to warn that the technology could soon die out.
The rising popularity of internet downloads and digital video recorders has seen a switch to watching films and TV series virtually, rather than keeping a hard copy.
The trend could see the once dominant DVD go the way of the tape deck, vinyl LP and VHS player.

At the peak of the format's popularity in 2007, 7.3million DVD players and recorders were sold in the UK.
That fell last year to 5.7million  -  the lowest figure since 2003, figures from market analysts Mintel show. They estimate that by 2014 the figure will have slumped to fewer than 4.5million devices.
Sales are surviving thanks to the rise of Blu-Ray  -  the high- definition version of DVDs  -  and the fact that DVD players now cost less than ￡20 in supermarkets.

But plummeting prices mean the industry is less profitable. Last year the market for DVD players was worth ￡610million  -  down from ￡720million in 2005.
By 2014 it will have shrunk to ￡475million, Mintel predicts. DVDs were introduced to Britain in 1999.

Their superior image-quality meant they soon overtook videos for home viewing. However, they initially could not record television shows.

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