Film Streaming To Replace DVDs?

For the first time, film streaming via the internet is to overtake traditional home viewing via DVD and Blu-ray discs, so claim the experts.
Dan Cryan, Senior Principal Analyst at IHS Screen Digest claims that the market for physical discs will decrease by the end of the year but online streaming of films via the internet will double.
According to estimates DVD and Blu-ray sales will drop from 2.6 billion in 2011 to 2.4 billion in 2012. While streaming content over the internet from services such as Netflix, Zune and Lovefilm will more than double from 1.4 billion in 2011 to 3.4 billion in 2012.
Mr Cryan said: "These stats put the final nail in the old idea that consumers won't accept premium content distributed online."
This analysis comes as online streaming service LoveFilm reports that digital film streaming has outstripped DVD rentals for the very first time.
The digital movie streaming service offered by LoveFilm surpassed the demand for the provider’s film DVD rentals in February.
LoveFilm revealed that during the month of February, demand from its subscribers for streamed movie content to devices was up by 20%, outstripping the demand from customers for DVD rentals, Blu Rays and video games combined.
"We are looking at the beginning of the end of the age of movies on physical media like DVD and Blu-ray,” said Dan Cryan.
But he concluded that:"the transition is likely to take time: almost nine years after the launch of the iTunes Store, CDs are still a vital part of the music business."
(LB)