4K Blu-ray discs set for release in 2014

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has approved plans to release 4K Blu-ray discs. The BDA's global promotions committee chair, Victor Matsuda, confirmed plans for 4K Blu-ray are official, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Last year, we reported that 4K Blu-ray discs could be possible, but at the time the use of the larger capacity discs for 4K films was mere speculation.

This latest announcement now confirms the go-ahead for the development of the new 4K disc format.

MORE: 4K Ultra HD: Everything you need to know

And 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs could be in our homes by the end of the year. Representatives from Sony, Dolby and Disney, among others, have put together a working group to work towards making the discs a reality.

If 4K Blu-ray discs do become a reality, then dedicated 4K Blu-ray players would need to be produced to play them.

At CES 2014, Netflix and YouTube announced plans to stream on-demand and online content in 4K. However, this will require a relatively high-speed internet connection.

MORE: YouTube to demo 4K streaming at CES 2014

Eyes-on: Netflix 4K streaming review

With 4K Ultra HD technology potentially on course to become the new "high-def" resolution in which we watch films on TV, the issue surrounding how we access 4K content has always been a prominent one.

This latest announcement could see optical discs become an option for those wanting to enjoy 4K Ultra HD content.

by Max Langridge

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Max is a staff writer for What Hi-Fi?'s sister site, TechRadar, in Australia. But being the wonderful English guy he is, he helps out with content across a number of Future sites, including What Hi-Fi?. It wouldn't be his first exposure to the world of all things hi-fi and home cinema, as his first role in technology journalism was with What Hi-Fi? in the UK. Clearly he pined to return after making the move to Australia and the team have welcomed him back with arms wide open.