Audio Video News

We get it. Having just barely settled in with your new HDR-enabled 4K smart TV, the last thing you want to hear is 8K. But the next-gen TV technology beckons and continues to be a hot topic since January’s 8K Coming Out Party, otherwise known as CES 2019.

A group of CE companies announced the formation of the 8K Association and major TV brands not only demonstrated 8K but promised to deliver 8K sets in 2019. Sony’s flagship 85- and 98-inch Z9G models will be among the first TVs sets you can buy when they hit stores next month with stratospheric prices of $13,000 and $70,000 (!), respectively.

Remarkably, in other parts of the world, 8K has already racked up $2.05 billion in sales since 2017 and the category is predicted to mushroom nearly 50% (47.6%) to more than $68 million globally by 2026, according to the “8K Technology – Global Market Outlook” from Dublin-based Research and Markets.

Key factors influencing 8K growth include monetary support by governments, progress in display technology, and rising demand for big-screen televisions with advanced resolution, though the report is quick to point out that limited availability of 8K content is restraining growth in the category as is always the case with the launch of any new format.

The report said 8K technology will be fueled in part by an increase in applications from the healthcare and medical fields and noted that the APAC region of Asia — which includes Japan, South Korea, and China — is expected to gain considerable market share over the next seven years. In addition to being residence for major 8K manufacturers such as Samsung, companies in this region are said to be boosting production and broadening distribution.