Sony Pictures Won't Sell 4K UHD Blu-rays Until 2016

I don't know about you, but I was hoping to wake up on Christmas morning this year and tear into 4K Blu-ray copies of my favorite flicks. Unfortunately for me, it's looking like the 4K Blu-ray format might be more of a New Year's Resolution than a Christmas miracle.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced recently that it doesn't expect to produce any 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays until early 2016 at the earliest, despite previous announcements by the Blu-ray Disc Association that 4K Blu-ray would be available by late 2015.

Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean there won't be any 4K Blu-rays for new 4K TV owners who've decided to take the plunge, but it looks unlikely.

{{amazon name="Chappie [Blu-ray]", asin="B00UC9SOKW", align="right"}} Fox Home Entertainment has also settled on the early 2016 launch date, and with Sony's concession most major players are skipping the holiday season altogether, perhaps fearing a lackluster launch and poor retail coverage.

When Sony does finally launch its 4K UHD Blu-ray catalog next year, it will include some pretty underwhelming initial titles—movies like The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Salt, Hancock, Chappie, and The Smurfs 2, with more to follow into spring and summer 2016.

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