For the first time, this year, more Blu-ray disc players will be sold in Germany than DVD players. Over two million Blu-ray-playback devices will be sold, compared to 1.7 million DVD players, according to forecasts published by industry association BITKOM based on current data provided by the European Information Technology Observatory.

Blu-ray players will generate sales revenue increasing this year by 65% to almost €350 million, amounting to almost twice the turnover from DVD players which will fall to €165 million. The average retail price of a Blu-ray player in 2011 is €170; DVD players cost €98 on average.

"Blu-ray is the new standard for home cinema. It will only be a matter of time until DVD players will disappear from the shelves of electronic retailers," BITKOM president August-Wilhelm Scheer.

It remains that packaged media is on the retreat when it comes to software. Official figures from the German audiovisual association show a 5% drop in sell-through revenues to €314 million) in the first quarter, while rental sales held steady at $100 million (€70 million). Total unit sales fell 3.3% to 27 million. This marks the first time in more than a decade that both revenue and unit sales have fallen in the first quarter, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Repeating at an even faster rate the fall in price seen with DVD, the average price for Blu-ray title this year is down 11% over last year – at €14.97. The average price of a DVD is now €11.23.

Some 900,000 films were sold via electronic sell-through in Germany in the first quarter of the year, with online rentals up 50% to 2.2 million title transactions.

Story filed 29.05.11