General: Can streaming services replace DVDs?

Time and again I read the statement that streaming services will soon make DVDs and Blu-ray discs extinct. I just laugh about it, as something that only people would say who know nothing about films. Sometimes people even say that Netflix will make DVDs and Blu-ray discs extinct, which is an even more ridiculous statement.

It's doubtlessly true that the two biggest streaming services, Netflix and Amazon Prime, are valuable resources for people who like to watch television series. They both contain large series which would fill dozens of discs. I used to buy television series on DVD, so I know from experience how much space they take up on my shelves. However, the selection of films offered by both companies in their standard packages is so poor that it's embarrassing.

One thing I haven't taken into account until now is that Amazon also offers streaming films which aren't included in its standard Prime package. For instance, "The Nightingale" isn't included with Amazon Prime in Germany, but it can be streamed for 3.49 Euros.

From this month on I intend to give Netflix, Amazon Prime and Amazon Streaming Services a monthly rating, based on the availability of the films that I've watched in the month. I'll make a bold statement: streaming can replace DVDs when the score of Amazon's streaming services exceeds 90% three months in a row.

Here are the current scores:

July 2020: Netflix 13%, Amazon Prime 17%, Amazon Streaming 73%

August 2020: Netflix 0%, Amazon Prime 5%, Amazon Streaming 47%

September 2020: Netflix 0%, Amazon Prime 0%, Amazon Streaming 70%

As you can see, the scores for Netflix and Amazon Prime are so low that there's no chance of either of them replacing DVDs in the foreseeable future. On the other hand, the Amazon Streaming values are high enough to be taken seriously. If Amazon increases its streaming catalogue in the next few years, it has a chance of replacing DVDs. Let's see what happens in the next few months.