Blu-ray is dead

By Roadrunna
in Home Theatre Discussion

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Rising Star

SakuraKira

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It's ironic I buy $50-60 games (like 2 in a year) but I refuse to pay $40 for a new movie (on BD that is)

You get more for your money when buying a $50 game though. If a game's play time is at least 10 hours, that's about 5 movies, at $200 total if they're all BD. That doesn't even factor in the hours and hours of online play that some games are capable of.

Grand Master

Coldgunner

Posted
Posted
could happen if blu-ray hardware & movies don't fall in price dramatically. Wasn't that what accelerated DVDs onto our screens?

Dvd's took a few years to really crash in price, Blu ray is still considered a 'new' format, blu ray is currently been parrallel to the DVD timeline.

Mentor

NateB1

Posted
Posted

Just FYI - I went to someone's house, and they have a 5.1 surround sound system - with 5 out of 6 speakers in front pointed at them from beside the TV. The other one was on a table somewhere on the side.

If they don't care how their surround system is set up, they certainly won't care if the image is sharper on their TV. DVD is plenty fine for most people - only audiophiles/videophiles can justify spending $$$$$ to set up an HD system.

Grand Master

bdsams Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
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it will take off, it will be quite some time before physical media takes off...

If you think about it our generation is the first that accepts buying something doesnt mean having to actually be able to hold it....software, music downloads, ect

Our parents still like physical media and the movie studios will push blu-ray out

Grand Master

Emn1ty

Posted
Posted
I can notice a difference on my 40" set, but true the smaller you go the less important it really gets.

Actually the PS3 will be quickly being phased out as the Blu Ray player to get amongst casuals, as Blu Ray players can now be purchased for cheaper.

For someone not interested in gaming, what's the point in spending the extra cash?

Or someone who isn't invested heavily in specifications, most likely the casuals who in many cases prioritise price over features.

Downloads will always co-inside with physical media for movies, but right now I do not foresee downloads passing physical for the foreseeable future, meaning there HAS to be a physical option on the market, making this whole topic of "is blu ray dead" rather pointless.

The PS3 won't, because for a marginal price increase you get a player that is constantly updated through the web, meaning it will always be up to date with its software making it more future proof than any of the other players. Then throw in the ability to use it as a multimedia device for both digital downloads, music, and gaming you can't beat the PS3 has a home entertainment system. At target the cheapest Blu-Ray players we sell are a mere $50 cheaper than the PS3. At those price people really don't care what is "cheaper" anymore and only want what will last.

Just FYI - I went to someone's house, and they have a 5.1 surround sound system - with 5 out of 6 speakers in front pointed at them from beside the TV. The other one was on a table somewhere on the side.

If they don't care how their surround system is set up, they certainly won't care if the image is sharper on their TV. DVD is plenty fine for most people - only audiophiles/videophiles can justify spending $$$$$ to set up an HD system.

Exactly my point.

Grand Master

+Audioboxer Subscriber²

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The PS3 won't, because for a marginal price increase you get a player that is constantly updated through the web, meaning it will always be up to date with its software making it more future proof than any of the other players. Then throw in the ability to use it as a multimedia device for both digital downloads, music, and gaming you can't beat the PS3 has a home entertainment system. At target the cheapest Blu-Ray players we sell are a mere $50 cheaper than the PS3. At those price people really don't care what is "cheaper" anymore and only want what will last.

Um what?

You have like a bajillion topics on NW from people complaining about Blu Ray prices and you're now saying price doesn't matter, people will buy the most feature packed?

Uhhh no, not if market trends are to go by.

Complete saturation comes when you can get players dirt cheap, and I guarantee you there will end up more standalone Blu Ray players worldwide, than there will be PS3s used as a Blu Ray player.

Plus how many DVD players do people own in their home on average? I do not think people will be buying 2-3-4 PS3s per household.

And FYI as well, many standalone Blu Ray players out there now will update from the internet as well, through a USB stick.

Grand Master

Emn1ty

Posted
Posted
Um what?

You have like a bajillion topics on NW from people complaining about Blu Ray prices and you're now saying price doesn't matter, people will buy the most feature packed?

Uhhh no, not if market trends are to go by.

Complete saturation comes when you can get players dirt cheap, and I guarantee you there will end up more standalone Blu Ray players worldwide, than there will be PS3s used as a Blu Ray player.

Plus how many DVD players do people own in their home on average? I do not think people will be buying 2-3-4 PS3s per household.

And FYI as well, many standalone Blu Ray players out there now will update from the internet as well, through a USB stick.

From my experience selling these things in actual retail, once prices hit over $250 to $300 or so people begin to make bigger leaps in cash for better products. At a difference of $349.99 for an OK player to $400 for 80GB of hard drive space, an player that is constantly updated, the ability to stream music AND play games, would you not spend a mere $50 extra? What I am trying to say is that these people want their money's worth alongside something that has a decent price tag. The PS3 is just that.

And right now, people usually only want one blu-ray player for their main entertainment center. Most people buy normal DVD players from Target and not the PS3 or Blu-Ray. Updates for the PS3 are also automatic with less hassle. Most people probably don't know you have to go to Sony's website, download something, put it on a flash drive and then plug it into the player. They never had to do it for DVD so what makes them think they should do it for Blu-Ray?

Grand Master

Southern Patriot

Posted
Posted
All I was pointing out was TVs being sold now are largely in part coming with full 1080p at many entry level sizes.

No TV below 40" being sold at most Wal-Mart stores supports 1080p, they are all 720p. Most of the 42" and above TV's do support 1080p (other than the plasmas, all of which are 720p), but sales of those are far outnumbered by the sales of smaller sets, at least at the store where I work.

Grand Master

+Audioboxer Subscriber²

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From my experience selling these things in actual retail, once prices hit over $250 to $300 or so people begin to make bigger leaps in cash for better products. At a difference of $349.99 for an OK player to $400 for 80GB of hard drive space, an player that is constantly updated, the ability to stream music AND play games, would you not spend a mere $50 extra? What I am trying to say is that these people want their money's worth alongside something that has a decent price tag. The PS3 is just that.

And right now, people usually only want one blu-ray player for their main entertainment center. Most people buy normal DVD players from Target and not the PS3 or Blu-Ray. Updates for the PS3 are also automatic with less hassle. Most people probably don't know you have to go to Sony's website, download something, put it on a flash drive and then plug it into the player. They never had to do it for DVD so what makes them think they should do it for Blu-Ray?

There is no way in hell a $250-300 movie player is going to saturate the casual market Emn1ty.

And if people don't know squat about updating what makes you think they'll even consider the PS3 automatically updating.

Standalone Blu Ray player sales will trash PS3 sales from a pricing perspective, no doubts at all.

Look at the PS2, it's still $120 or something, you can get a DVD player for like $30.

was it ever alive?

My Blu Ray discs talk to me, I think they are breathing just fine? :iiam:

Grand Master

Emn1ty

Posted
Posted
There is no way in hell a $250-300 movie player is going to saturate the casual market Emn1ty.

Which is why I have said Blu-Ray is not for the casual market.

And if people don't know squat about updating what makes you think they'll even consider the PS3 automatically updating.

Because they don't have to consider it beyond plugging it into a internet connection. The PS3 does it automatically, normal players don't. Automatic = less thought process.

Standalone Blu Ray player sales will trash PS3 sales from a pricing perspective, no doubts at all.

Sure, once they are at least $100 cheaper for a decently sized player (right now they are roughly twice the size of a normal DVD player, at least at Target).

Look at the PS2, it's still $120 or something, you can get a DVD player for like $30.

Cause DVD was out before the PS2 and was already gaining popularity. Besides, both the XBox and GameCube used a form of DVD so this is not the same situation.

Proficient

rpgfan

Posted
Posted

I think Blu-ray will be around for a while, mainly because of the game consoles. I don't follow the format wars very closely, but last time I saw the numbers, HD-DVD was dead, leaving only Blu-ray. If game consoles don't use Blu-ray, will they go back to multi-disc games using DVDs? What about the HD content? Something's gotta give, and I doubt it'll be Blu-ray.

Grand Master

I am Reid

Posted
Posted
Sure, once they are at least $100 cheaper for a decently sized player (right now they are roughly twice the size of a normal DVD player, at least at Target).

The size of the player has NOTHING to do with anything, they are not meant to be portable.

besides, the PS3 is huge, so dosnt that kinda contradict what you have said?

Grand Master

Coldgunner

Posted
Posted
I think Blu-ray will be around for a while, mainly because of the game consoles. I don't follow the format wars very closely, but last time I saw the numbers, HD-DVD was dead, leaving only Blu-ray. If game consoles don't use Blu-ray, will they go back to multi-disc games using DVDs? What about the HD content? Something's gotta give, and I doubt it'll be Blu-ray.

You make a pretty good point, you can bet ur ass the Xbox720 and PS4 will use it.

Grand Master

Matrix XII

Posted
Posted

I don't think blu-ray will be around forever, but I think it will for at least 2-3 more years.

We all know that someday it will be all online buying/downloading movies and shows, but people like to get their hands on something that's physical and I don't think that an online store will appeal to the mainstream any time soon.

Seems like most people can hardly turn on an LCD TV and put in a blu-ray movie into a PS3 (or standalone) properly, let alone go through the 'hassle' of buying it online.

I say this because of experience (worked at Future Shop)..

Grand Master

+Audioboxer Subscriber²

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Which is why I have said Blu-Ray is not for the casual market.

Because they don't have to consider it beyond plugging it into a internet connection. The PS3 does it automatically, normal players don't. Automatic = less thought process.

Sure, once they are at least $100 cheaper for a decently sized player (right now they are roughly twice the size of a normal DVD player, at least at Target).

Cause DVD was out before the PS2 and was already gaining popularity. Besides, both the XBox and GameCube used a form of DVD so this is not the same situation.

Which is why I have said Blu-Ray is not for the casual market.

Player posted in here last week for $140 with 4 movies.

That comment is just plain stupid Emn1ty, Blu Ray is for everyone when it's affordable for you, and as prices drop below PS3 prices, standalone players become more viable for everyone.

Because they don't have to consider it beyond plugging it into a internet connection. The PS3 does it automatically, normal players don't. Automatic = less thought process.

Read my point again, if you're talking about a casual person who has no idea about updating, they won't consider the PS3 automatically updating as they know nothing about updates.

Sure, once they are at least $100 cheaper for a decently sized player (right now they are roughly twice the size of a normal DVD player, at least at Target).

Glad we agree there.

Sure, once they are at least $100 cheaper for a decently sized player (right now they are roughly twice the size of a normal DVD player, at least at Target).

Games consoles will never outsell standalone, as standalone will always become cheaper quicker.

Look at the PS2, it's still $120 or something, you can get a DVD player for like $30.
In the U.S., mass retailer sales of DVD-Video titles and players began in late 1997.[17] By June 2003, weekly DVD-Video rentals began out-numbering weekly VHS cassette rentals, reflecting the rapid adoption rate of the technology in the U.S. marketplace.[18][19] Currently DVD-Video is the dominant form of home video distribution worldwide.

True but look how long it took to really kick off.

Veteran

DaDude

Posted
Posted

Take a look at this article I found on yahoo: http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_...efficiency.html

Here's a quote from the last part of the article: "Viewing movies on a stand-alone unit is a lot more efficient. The Playstation 3, for example, uses five times more power than the stand-alone Sony Blu-Ray player to play the same movie."

I guess you people may want to think twice before buying a PS3 specially for Blu-ray movies. ;)

Grand Master

+StevoFC MVC

Posted
  • MVC
Posted
I guess you people may want to think twice before buying a PS3 specially for Blu-ray movies. ;)

lol, when I play a blu-ray on my ps3 it's using less power than it usually does. I run folding@home 24 hours a day. Can't do that on my stand alone Samsung downstairs.

Grand Master

Emn1ty

Posted
Posted (edited)
The size of the player has NOTHING to do with anything, they are not meant to be portable.

besides, the PS3 is huge, so dosnt that kinda contradict what you have said?

Oh yes it does. Size has everything to do with it. Size doesn't only matter when things are portable devices. Sometimes people like things to be small and out of the way, or they don't have shelf space for the player so they need one that can fit underneath or in front of the television. Right now, even the PS3 takes up less lateral space than any stand alone Blu-Ray player I have seen. Even the DVD-VHS combo machines are sometimes smaller than the Blu-Ray players.

Player posted in here last week for $140 with 4 movies.

That comment is just plain stupid Emn1ty, Blu Ray is for everyone when it's affordable for you, and as prices drop below PS3 prices, standalone players become more viable for everyone.

No, it isn't plain stupid. Just because the player is bundled and cheap does not make it the best bang for your buck. What I am talking about is getting your money's worth, and right now the PS3 is more for your money. Bundles also are limited time offers, not standard releases, so even considering that as something to base your argument off of is stupid.

Read my point again, if you're talking about a casual person who has no idea about updating, they won't consider the PS3 automatically updating as they know nothing about updates.

This is why you tell them when you sell a product. The PS3 eliminates the need to do or know anything about updating beyond having it plugged into a connection. You tell them as long as it is plugged into the internet they will have THE most up-to-date player software wise and they like the sound of that.

Games consoles will never outsell standalone, as standalone will always become cheaper quicker.

Never said it would. As I said above, I am not trying to say buy a PS3 now and forever since it will be forever the best. What I am saying is that at this moment the PS3 is the best for your money as well as the easiest to keep up to date. It will save you money in the long run as a Blu-Ray player and can even double later as an extended media center with it's upgradeable HDD.

Edited by Joel
Experienced

TogaForComfort

Posted
Posted

Just look in stores. I can only speak for to UK here. But store such as HVM and zavvi have a bigger Blu-ray section every time I go in them.

I'd say Blu-ray is far from dying. I do think mass penetration of the market will take longer than DVD's though for two reasons.

1. The benefits of blu-ray to the general public are not as big as DVD was over VHS (No rewind, immensely better picture and sound, no degredation after repeated viewing)

2. To gain the full benefits you need to buy a HD screen. Again the general public are not up for this. Many people I have spoken to are happy with their 32" SD CRT

  • 3 weeks later...
Grand Master

soniqstylz

Posted
Posted

So, to quote myself....

Actually, that predicts well for Blu-ray. Historically, in hard times, people spend money on entertainment to make themselves feel better. It's how Hollywood blew up during the Great Depression. People have to cancel vacations they can't afford, so they end up buying new TVs/movies/etc.

And to quote this article...

http://uk.gear.ign.com/articles/938/938098p1.html

Blu-ray Sales Off The Charts

Consumers place Blu-ray players at the top of their holiday wish lists.

by Chris Iaquinta

US, December 12, 2008 - The holiday shopping season is at full intensity and consumers have made it clear that above all else they want a Blu-ray player in their stocking. Numerous reports have shown a dramatic increase in Blu-ray sales this year, with experts estimating that many more thousands of units will be cleared from the shelves before the New Year.

Early today, the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) in conjunction with Greenfield Online, announced the findings of their survey data that show that HDTV users have named the Blu-ray as their most sought after holiday wish list item for 2008. In addition, stats from NPD Group and DisplaySearch show that 147,000 Blu-ray players were purchased during Thanksgiving week, a figure up by 300% over last year's sales. Black Friday Blu-ray sales were also off the chart according to an independent DEG analysis, with sales more than quadrupled that of what was sold in 2007.

"This recent survey data combined with these sales numbers illustrates that, given the economy, people will be spending more time entertaining themselves at home by watching movies ? and the delivery system they want is Blu-ray," said Amy Jo Smith, Executive Director, DEG. "These stats are particularly encouraging because, even with the consumer anxiety out there right now, Blu-ray is poised for a strong holiday sales season."

Blu-ray players aren't the only benefactor of the current HD craze, as Blu-ray discs themselves are experiencing exponential sales growth. Greenfield research shows that consumers more than ever want to receive movies on disc this holiday season, with most preferring a Blu-ray disc gift instead of a standard DVDExperts cite the tough economy as the reason behind the heightened Blu-ray interest, as consumers with HDTV's are becoming more likely to focus on in-home entertainment spending, such as purchasing Blu-ray players and discs, instead of using the money for out of the home activities.b>

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      By TarasBuria · Posted

      Hands-on with BOOX Tappy: cute little reading accessory by Taras Buria Page turners are quite popular accessories for e-readers, as they enable a hands-free reading experience, which is particularly useful with large readers featuring 10-inch or larger displays. The BOOX Tappy is a new accessory that was introduced earlier this year, and we took this cute-looking thingy for a spin. The Tappy comes in a small box, with two additional buttons and a user manual. The device is made of glossy green plastic and resembles old appliances from the nuclear age. Material quality is great, and each part feels quite premium. Plastic is high-quality, the switch is nice to flick, and the buttons are not rattly. At the bottom, four rubberized feet prevent slipping when used on a desk. Unfortunately, there are no color options, and the Tappy is only available in green. It looks good, but I wish there were other options as well. There are two removable buttons, an on/off switch, and an LED indicator that displays connection mode, charging status, and more. The buttons resemble those of an old typewriter, with quite a long travel distance and a pleasant clack. In the box, you have four buttons with different icons: heart, coffee, O, and X. You can easily swap buttons by simply pulling them upwards. Tip: buttons come with plastic covers, but they are quite tricky to remove. It is hard to call the Tappy the most ergonomic remote control, but after fiddling with it for a few hours, I managed to find a comfortable hand position. Attaching a lanyard to it can make it more comfortable in use without the fear of dropping it, but unfortunately, the Tappy does not come with one. The Tappy connects via Bluetooth 5.2, and it works in three modes, which you can toggle by pressing and holding both buttons for about five seconds: Reading Mode Multimedia Mode Browsing Mode Next / Previous page Next / Previous Track Up / Down scroll If you pair the Tappy with a BOOX device (I tested it with the BOOX Go 10.5 Gen 2 Lumi), you will get small pop-ups indicating the current mode. Plus, you can customize what each button does when pressed one time, two times, or held for a few seconds. The list of available actions and features you can use is massive, and I like that BOOX lets you map stuff like brightness adjustment, app launching, screenshot-taking, screen rotating, navigation, and more. Note, however, that while you can use the Tappy with other readers, its customization is only available on BOOX devices running firmware version 4.2 and newer. I could not connect the Tappy to my computer (Windows 11 claims a driver error when I try), but it worked with the DuRoBo Krono that I recently reviewed. My Kindle Paperwhite refused to work with the Tappy, though, just like my iPhone. The Tappy uses a non-removable Li-Ion battery, which can be recharged with a Type-C cable. BOOX rates the remote for "weeks of use," and I can say that it indeed has very good battery life. While there are no battery indicators on the remote, you can see the current level in the status bar or in Input settings in the BOOX firmware. After a few days of active use, mine still shows about 95%. Overall, the Tappy left a nice impression. It is well-made, and the integration with BOOX devices is great. I also like that BOOX decided to have some fun with its design and swappable buttons. I cannot say I am a fan of its odd shape, though. Still, I managed to find a way to use it comfortably. And when not in use, it just looks neat sitting on the table doing nothing or serving you as a small clacky fidget. Buy BOOX Tappy - $29.99 on Amazon US As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
    • AdGuard Family lifetime deal now only $14.97

      By News Staff · Posted

      AdGuard Family lifetime deal now only $14.97 by Steven Parker Today's highlighted Neowin Deal comes via our Apps + Software section, where you can get a lifetime subscription and save 91% on a lifetime AdGuard Family Plan. AdGuard is a unique program that has all the necessary features for what they claim to be "the best web experience." The software combines the an advanced ad blocker, a privacy protection module, and a parental control tool—all working in one app. This software deals with annoying ads, hides your data from a multitude of trackers, protects you from malware attacks, and even lets you restrict your kids from accessing inappropriate content. Install AdGuard and see the internet as it was supposed to be: clean and safe. Get rid of annoying banners, pop-ups & video ads once and for all Hide your data from the multitude of trackers & activity analyzers that swarm the web Avoid fraudulent and phishing website and malware attacks Protect your kids online by restricting them from accessing inappropriate & adult content Good to know Family Plan Length of access: lifetime This plan is only available to new users Redemption deadline: redeem your code within 30 days of purchase Max number of devices: 9 Access options: desktop & mobile Software version: AdGuard Family Updates included A lifetime subscription of AdGuard Family Plan normally costs $169.99, but this deal can be yours for just $14.97, that's a saving of $157.02. For full terms, specifications, and license info please click the link below. Get this AdGuard Family lifetime deal for just $14.97 (was $169.99) Although priced in U.S. dollars, this deal is available for digital purchase worldwide. As an online publication, Neowin too relies on ads for operating costs and, if you use an ad blocker, we'd appreciate being whitelisted. In addition, we have an ad-free subscription for $28 a year, which is another way to show support! Support queries If you have queries or need support for any of the Neowin Deals, please use the contact form here. Neowin Deals are managed and sold by StackCommerce who represent Neowin on an affiliate basis. Why we post these deals We post these because we earn commission on each sale so as not to rely solely on advertising, which many of our readers block. It all helps toward paying staff reporters, servers and hosting costs. So for those that keep moaning and complaining, be thankful we're still online for you to even do that. Other ways to support Neowin Whitelist Neowin by not blocking our ads Create a free member account to see fewer ads Make a donation to support our day to day running costs Subscribe to Neowin - for $14 a year, or $28 a year for an ad-free experience Disclosure: Neowin benefits from revenue of each sale made through our branded deals site powered by StackCommerce.
    • Newegg offers insane combo deal on Amazon Prime Day 2026 that beats Steam Machine

      By sphbecker · Posted

      Sadly "beats Steam Machine" isn't much of a brag.
    • An oversimplified explanations of Passkeys

      By +Warwagon · Posted

      Passkeys: Think of them like a broken heart necklace. Imagine one of those heart necklaces that breaks into two matching pieces. One person keeps one half, and the other person keeps the other half. With passkeys, the website has one half, and you have the other half. If the website gets hacked and someone steals its half, that stolen piece is useless by itself. It cannot unlock your account without your matching half. This particular heart necklace is one of a kind, there is only one in existence. Your half of the necklace has to be stored somewhere. It might be stored on your phone, tablet, computer, security key, or a password manager that can sync it between all your devices. A security key is a small physical device that you keep with you, kind of like a house key, car key, or flash drive. I would not usually recommend a security key as the first option for the average person. For most people, it is easier to use their phone, computer, or a password manager that can sync passkeys between their devices. A security key is more like a spare key you keep in a safe place, just in case you lose access to your other devices or your password manager. Some security keys plug into your computer. Some plug into your phone or tablet. Some get tapped against your device. The idea is simple: a security key can hold another passkey for the same website. Think of it like creating a second one-of-a-kind heart necklace for the same account. One necklace could be paired with your password manager, while another necklace could be paired with your security key. That means the website has more than one matching half on file. One half matches the passkey in your password manager. Another half matches the passkey stored on your security key. So, if you lose access to your phone, computer, or password manager, you would still be able to log in using the passkey stored on your security key. Think of it like keeping an extra special necklace piece on a tiny keychain, stored somewhere safe. The website still has the matching half for that security key, but your half is safely stored inside the little key. A passkey does not automatically exist on every device you own. It lives wherever you save it. If your half is stored on one device, then that device is the one that has the matching piece. For example, if you create the passkey on your Windows computer and it is only saved to that computer, your iPhone does not automatically have that same half. If you create it on your iPhone and it only stays on that iPhone, your Android phone does not automatically have it either. That is where password managers come in. A password manager can act like a protected jewelry box for your passkeys. Instead of your half of the necklace being locked to only one device, the password manager can securely sync that half to your other approved devices. For example, Apple Passwords and iCloud Keychain can sync passkeys between your Apple devices. Google Password Manager can sync passkeys with your Google account. But password managers such as 1Password and Bitwarden can sync passkeys between everything, your phones, tablets and computers. Now, you might ask: “What happens if I lose access to the device that has my passkey?” That depends on where your passkey was saved and what recovery options the website gives you. If your passkey was synced through a password manager, you may be able to sign in from another device that has access to that same password manager. For example, if your passkey is saved in iCloud Keychain, Google Password Manager, 1Password, or Bitwarden, another approved device may still have access to it. If your passkey was saved only on one phone, computer, or security key, and you lose that device, then you may not have your half of the necklace anymore. In that case, you would usually need to use the website’s backup login or account recovery options. A lot of websites that support passkeys still let you fall back to your regular password. So if you lose access to your passkey, the site may still let you log in with your password, a code sent to your email, a text message, a recovery code, or some other account recovery process. That is convenient, but it is also important to understand: if the website still allows password login, then your password still matters. Passkeys are safer than passwords, but if your account still has a password as a backup, you should still use a strong, unique password and turn on two-factor authentication if the website offers it. This is why it is a good idea to have more than one safe way back into important accounts. For example, you might keep your passkey in a syncing password manager, add a second trusted device, save recovery codes somewhere safe, or set up a backup security key. A passkey is very secure, but just like a real key, you need a backup plan in case you lose access to it. Now, you might ask: “What stops a hacker from copying my half of the necklace?” That’s the important part: your half is protected. It is not something you type in, and it is not something the website gets to keep. Think of your half as being locked inside a tiny safe on your phone, computer, security key, or password manager. That safe only opens when you approve it with your fingerprint, face, PIN, or device password. When you log in, the website does not need to see your half. It only needs proof that your half matches its half. Your actual half is not handed over to the website. This is different from a password. With a password, you type the secret into the website. If you type it into a fake website, the hacker now has it. With a passkey, you are not typing your secret into the website. Your device is proving you have the matching half without giving the half away. That also helps protect you from fake websites. If someone makes a fake login page that looks like the real site, your device can tell it is not the real match. It will not use your passkey there. Now, could someone use your passkey if they stole your device, got into your password manager, or somehow unlocked the safe that holds your half? Yes, that is why your device password, PIN, fingerprint, face unlock, and password manager security still matter. But a hacker cannot just steal your passkey from the website or trick you into typing it into a fake page like they can with a password. That is why passkeys are safer than passwords. The two matching pieces have to come together, like two lovebirds who were once separated and are finally reunited.

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