8K TV will achieve moderate success in the next few years

The latest research from Strategy Analytics’ Connected Home Devices service suggests that 8K TVs will be a moderate success in the next few years. The research report will be released at the same time as the NAB Show in Las Vegas this month - in which 8K, which has four times the resolution of today’s 4K standard, will be one of the mainstream themes. Strategy Analytics’ Consumer Technology Adoption Model predicts that by the end of 2025, 56 million households around the world will own an 8K TV. The United States will be the most successful market, with 8% of households owning an 8K TV by then.

The report states that despite the fact that 8K TVs have only been launched in recent months, global sales of 8K TVs will reach 500,000 units in 2019. Compared with the United States, where ultra-large displays have long been accepted, 8K TVs will struggle in most other regions. The report concludes that 8K TVs are good for TV manufacturers, but not so meaningful for the content industry.

Other key findings from the report include:

By 2025, global 8K TV sales will reach 31 million units per year, with retail revenues reaching $35 billion

China will have the highest sales of 8K TVs by 2025, as Chinese manufacturers will soon adopt 8K resolution on their large-screen TVs

8K TV sales will be concentrated in the 60" and larger screen size category. Today, all 8K TVs are larger than 60", and by 2025, TVs 60" and larger will still account for more than 70% of 8K TV demand.

David Watkins, Director at Strategy Analytics, said: “8K TVs are likely to attract a lot of attention this year. TV manufacturers and video technology suppliers alike are keen to promote 8K as the inevitable upgrade from today’s 4K. This makes sense – to the extent that demand for the largest screen sizes is strong in the market, 8K TVs will gain a foothold.”

Michael Goodman, Director of TV & Media Strategies at Strategy Analytics, added: “The availability of true 8K content will be extremely limited for several years. Many content providers and distributors are still migrating from basic HD to 4K, and see little reason to invest in 8K when few viewers will see any benefit for several years. Instead, they should focus on other important picture enhancement technologies such as HDR (high dynamic range) and HFR (high frame rate).”