8K televisions offer a level of resolution that is four times that of 4K televisions and sixteen times that of 1080p televisions. Despite this increase in resolution, 8K televisions have not yet gained significant traction with consumers. One reason for this may be the lack of 8K content available. Most streaming services and Blu-ray discs are only available in 1080p or 4K. Without 8K content to watch, there is little incentive for consumers to upgrade to an 8K television. Another reason for the lack of consumer uptake may be the high price tag.
Most 8K televisions are significantly more expensive than their 4K counterparts. Therefore, until the price of 8K televisions comes down, it is unlikely that many consumers will purchase one. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how the 8K TV market develops over the next few years.
Four years since the first 8K resolution (7680 x 4320 pixel) smart TVs hit store shelves. Initially, both manufacturers and analysts had high hopes for the technology, as there were predictions that by 2020 there would already be 3 million of these types of displays in homes. The reality, however, contradicts this quite strongly, as the latest survey from market research firm Omdia shows that consumers are pretty skeptical about 8K TVs.
Despite the release of several 8K TVs in 2021, sales have been relatively low, with only 0.15% of all TVs shipped this year being 8K models (totaling 350,000 units globally). Overall sales of TVs declined in the last quarter of 2021, with Samsung selling 18% fewer than in 2020. This trend is likely to continue in the coming year.
Omdia has previously estimated that 8 million 8K TVs will find homes globally by 2025, but their latest forecast is much more pessimistic, as research suggests that even by 2026, only 2.7 million households will have this technology.
The lack of enthusiasm from customers is hardly surprising: the price of 8K models far exceeds that of premium 4K models. An even bigger problem is that very few services/formats offer 8K content to users. Even four years after the release of 8K resolution, there is no reason to purchase an 8K display.