Netflix has partnered with Microsoft and Xbox Live to provide streamed content via Xbox Live and while discussing this with a gaming site, UK Xbox chief; Stepehen McGill, took a bash at the Blu-Ray format and said that "it will be passed by as a format", citing the increasing popularity of streaming content. For now, streamed content does not enjoy the benefit of full HD that Blu-Ray does however the possibility of doing so is in the very near future and this could spell the end for physical media once and for all. Netflix should be able to provide high quality HD content within the next couple of years making it possible to access your account and stream your favorite shows and movies from anywhere in the world, all in HD, assuming you have an HD television of course.
Many would argue that it will be a long time before consumers switch to this method of delivery, however I for one, have not rented a DVD since 2008 and had reduced my consumption drastically in the few years preceeding 2008 in favor of streaming. Although the quality suffers dramatically, it seems others are doing the same as Blockbuster has just announced that they haved filed for bankruptcy protection. It may take some time for the Blu-Ray format to meet it's inevitable demise but the king of the court will not wait very long to take its rightful place on the throne, or in this situation, your television.
I am very excited by this change in the industry. Gone will be the days of web-surfing, searching for a website offering decent quality videos until it gets shutdown, only to have my bandwidth truncated by my ISP when trying to watch them. I would gladly pay to stream full HD movies and television shows directly to my living room. Now if you will exscuse me I am going to get a full HD 1080p HD television so I will be ready to hibernate this winter.
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