Sony may be abandoning standalone 4K Blu-ray players

Sony may be preparing to abandon the standalone 4K Blu-ray players, and the signs are becoming harder to ignore. According to a report by Forbes, its last remaining model in Japan, the UBP-X700K, was marked as unavailable on 22 October, with local retailers reportedly told not to expect another shipment ^[1].

Key facts * Sony's UBP-X700K was marked as unavailable in Japan on 22 October ^[1]. * Local retailers have reportedly been told not to expect new shipments of the remaining model ^[1]. * Sony's U.S. website currently lists the UBP-X700K as out of stock ^[1]. * Sony's UK operation stated that information regarding a market withdrawal has not been publicly announced ^[1].

It is not yet clear if Sony is officially ending the production of 4K Blu-ray players. The company has not announced a worldwide withdrawal, and its UK operation stated it prefers to refrain from commenting on speculation regarding media reports ^[1].

Buyers in the United States may still have opportunities to purchase the hardware. The UBP-X700K remains listed on Sony’s U.S. website, and Best Buy offered the unit for $329.99 at press time ^[1]. However, Amazon is no longer selling the player directly as a new product ^[1].

What is happening to other optical media? Sony has already announced it will end its recordable Blu-ray Disc media production in February, ending a run of nearly two decades ^[3]. The company ended production of recordable consumer Blu-ray and optical disks in mid-2024 because commercial sales have become insufficient to sustain the business as the public prefers streaming services ^[3]. Additionally, high-end manufacturers like PS Audio and Naim are facing issues as components for SACD/CD mechanisms have ceased production ^[2].