On February 9, Sony Group announced that it would cease shipments of its Blu-ray Disc (BD) recorders starting in February, marking the end of an era for a product that significantly influenced home entertainment. The company has already halted production of these devices, and sales will stop once existing stock is depleted. The decline in demand is attributed to the rise of streaming services, which have shifted consumer preferences away from physical media for storing recorded data.

Initially launched in 2003, Sony's BD recorders gained popularity as they allowed users to record television programs in high quality onto Blu-ray discs. However, the landscape has dramatically changed over recent years, with many consumers now opting to store recording data digitally in cloud storage rather than on physical media, leading to a significant drop in BD recorder sales. This shift reflects larger trends within the industry toward internet-based and on-demand viewing options.

In addition to the termination of BD recorder shipments, Sony has plans to cease BD production entirely by February 2025. While shipments of standalone BD players are set to continue for the time being, this decision underscores the company's response to the evolving media consumption habits, signaling a potential decline in physical media in favor of digital streaming platforms that have become increasingly popular.