Netflix are the dominant power in the streaming business that already reckoned the cable industry and was behind the cord cutting of millions of subscriptions. It has been also competing with the major Hollywood studios by producing quality shows like Stranger Things and Orange is the New Black to name only a few. Netflix now has nearly 118 million streaming subscribers globally with 2017 revenue of 11.69 billion USD.
Few still remember what the original business of Netflix was and why it is still relevant to know. Simply because of this title from NEWSWIRE
“Whoa, there are still 3 million people using Netflix for DVDs”
Before we come back to our original story, some small historical fact on the format war in the Music arena will shed more light on its Video counterpart.
Since the day audio was recorded for Music distribution, it was done on a Black Vinyl Record. It first started as 78 rpm and moved up into 33 1⁄3 rpm and stayed as the format of choice until, it ran into competition from the audio tape format. This new format started with an 8-Track and was replaced by a Tape Cassettes that you can record on it, use it in your car and listen to it when you are walking or jogging using a Sony’s Walkman. Then came the digital age with the CD-ROM with the CD-Audio standard and became the format that ended them all. Due to its high analog quality that has been always admired by audiophiles the Black Vinyl Record is coming back strongly to the market.
Now coming back the root of Netflix that was originally meant to compete with Blockbuster the biggest chains of video rental with 9,000 brick and mortar stores that spread all over the world with 4,500 in the US only. They started by mailing orders of DVDs to their customers and later they improved it by their online order. This model along with the digital streaming they put an end to Blockbuster that was once invisible.
To everybody’s surprise the last Blockbuster’s few stores were closed only few months ago and were all in Alaska.
A sad story was written By Justin Heckert Jul 19, 2018 who witnessed the account of these stores and tell the stories of people who were still using this service where Internet was rare commodity.
“For One Last Night, Make It a Blockbuster Night”
“Everything is 10 years behind in Alaska—including the way people see movies. In three stores across the coldest state in the union, Blockbuster captured the imagination of its residents long after the company ceased operations around the rest of the country. But now, the late fees are finally coming due, and the end of the Blockbuster era is upon us.”
By Justin Heckert Jul 19, 2018
All the major Hollywood studios are still releasing their movies on DVDs and BluRays. They are counting on the quality of UHD and 4K format to keep it rolling. What is evident that people are still buying the variant of the DVD format and Netflix is still renting them with 3 million subscribers.
For how long? Netflix might reach unsustainably in 2022.
How anyone can be sure when Black Vinyl Records are making a comeback.
Whatever shape they take; Robots, Synth or Replicants will soon live among us. To read more click prossit.com
