DVD format starts to show its age

The growth in DVD sales and rentals slowed last year as the home video format started showing its age, reports the United States Digital Entertainment Group.

Sales and rentals of DVDs rose 8 per cent to US$22.8 billion ($33.48 billion), with DVD retail sales up only 5 per cent in dollar terms to US$16.3 billion and unit sales up 10 per cent.

Consumers spent another US$6.5 billion renting DVDs, up 14 per cent over last year, the group said.

The category increases mark a sharp slowdown from other years' spikes.