LG has discontinued all Blu-ray players, including the UBK80 and UBK90 UHD Blu-ray players, with remaining units only available while stocks last.
The announcement echoes similar moves from Oppo in 2018 and Samsung in 2019, when both companies exited the optical disc player market.
LG has now officially discontinued its Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray players, as reflected on LG's online portals and confirmed by multiple sources to FlatpanelsHD.
However, in a statement to FlatpanelsHD, LG Korea stopped short of confirming a definitive global exit from the optical disc player market, leaving the door open for a return if demand picks up. For now, a few old models remain available in regions such as America and Europe, but only until inventory runs out.
No new players since 2018
LG has not launched any new optical disc players since 2018, when it introduced the UBK80 and UBK90 UHD Blu-ray players. This same is true for other major brands such as Panasonic and Sony.
Also read: The State of Ultra HD Blu-ray in 2024
LG's departure from the optical disc player market is unsurprising, as its players were not very popular to begin with. Sales of Blu-ray players have been declining for years, with UHD Blu-ray player sales peaking in 2017, just one year after the UHD Blu-ray format debuted.
Nevertheless, this marks another setback for optical media, following decisions by Sony and Microsoft to make the disc drive an optional accessory for their PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles.
