Samsung is abandoning the manufacture of new Blu-Ray players.

Slowly but surely, spinning discs are dying, and Samsung has just put another nail in their coffin. The company told Forbes that it's done producing 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray players, and CNET was able to confirm that Samsung is slowing production on at least some of its 1080p Blu-ray players.

"Samsung will no longer introduce new Blu-ray or 4K Blu-Ray player models in the U.S. market," a Samsung spokesperson told CNET.

Technically, there is still a possibility that Samsung will continue to produce its existing Blu-Ray players for months or years to come ? the company still has plenty of models for sale ? or introduce new ones in specific countries outside the United States. We have asked Samsung for clarification.

But practically speaking, Samsung may have just announced that it is quitting the Blu-Ray business, as Oppo did last April.

The beginning of the end for physical discs?

Although Samsung was enthusiastic enough about 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays to beat every other company to the punch with the first player in 2016, it's not so surprising that Samsung could bow early now. Discs are on the decline, with research firm Nielsen recently using Blu-Ray and DVD players as the poster child for a technology that is on its way out.

"Some devices, such as DVD/Blu-Ray players, are in the decline phase of their product lifecycle as streaming devices gain prominence," says Nielsen's Q2 2018 report, adding that only 66 percent of TV-watching households now own one, down from 72 percent a year earlier.

Nielsen also says the average U.S. adult spends only 5 minutes a day, by far the least of any screen activity, using a Blu-ray or DVD player.

And streaming services have also stepped up in a big way, especially making 4K streams less expensive. Apple and Google sell 4K movies for the same price as 1080p HD now, and will upgrade your HD movies to 4K for free. Amazon notably lowered their prices as well. Also, an excellent 4K streaming device has never been cheaper than it is now.