Netflix has
finally chosen a side in the battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray. The online video rental company announced today that it has dropped
support for HD DVD and will stock high-def DVDs exclusively in the Blu-ray format.
With the industry now having picked a
winner in the face-off between the two competing high- definition DVD formats, Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), the world's largest online
movie rental service, today said that it will move toward stocking high-def DVDs exclusively in the Blu-ray format.
Citing the
decision by four of the six major movie studios to publish high-def DVD titles only in the Sony-developed Blu-ray format, Netflix said
that as of now it will purchase only Blu-ray discs and will phase out by roughly year's end the alternative high-def format, HD DVD,
developed by Toshiba.
Since the first high-definition DVDs came on the market in early 2006, Netflix has stocked both formats. But
the company said that in recent months the industry has stated its clear preference for Blu-ray and that it now makes sense for the
company to initiate the transition to a single format.
Netflix will not be dropping HD DVD immediately. While the
company won't be purchasing any new HD DVD titles, it will continue to offer its current inventory until the discs' natural life cycle
takes them out of circulation. If you'd like to read more, Netflix's entire press release can be found here.
