Tech giants Samsung and LG took the competition to a whole new level after it unveiled 8K Smart TVs earlier this week.
LG did not reveal many details about its OLED TVs but mentioned that it released the first 8K OLED TV. LG's OLED TV will come in a single size with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and a 7,680 x 4,320 resolution. It is also armed with 33 million self-emitting pixels.
"LG's first 8K OLED TV is the pinnacle of technological achievement and the next evolutionary step in display technology," LG Home Entertainment Company president Brian Kwon said.
On the other hand, Samsung also announced its Q900R QLED 8K series that will be available in four sizes, including 65, 75, 82, and 85 inches. The four sizes will likewise be equipped with Q HDR 8K, 8K AI Upscaling, Quantum Processor 8K, and Real 8K Resolution.
Real 8K Resolution distributes 4,000 nit peak brightness and four times more pixels than a 4K UHD TV and 16 times more pixels than a Full HD TV. Its Q HDR 8K feature enhances brightness and delivers images as intended by creators.
Built in with an 8K AI Upscaling, the TV will use the power of artificial intelligence to embellish picture and sound quality to a degree comparable to 8K, regardless of the original quality of the format. Meanwhile, the Quantum Processor 8K can recognize and upscale the content in 8K.
Are 8K Smart TVs Worth Buying?
Neil Shah, research director at Counterpoint Research, reiterated that the rapid growth of 4K TVs will drive the adoption of 8K in the foreseeable future. The analyst firm estimated that close to 250,000 8K TV panels will be distributed this year. It added that it will rise to 7 million in 2022.
"8K remains niche until programs are widely available in 8K, which is years away. We saw this with 4K. Very slow adoption to start, and actually many early TVs were not compatible with 4K services," Neil Campling, co-head of the global thematic group at Mirabaud Securities, added.
LG and Samsung did not divulge the prices of its 8K Smart TVs, but Tech Hive noted that it won't come cheap. Japan's Sharp, which has a 70-inch 8K TV, costs 11,199 euros, or over $13,000.
NBC said that the ability to get 8K content to end users could also raise a concern. At present, broadband speeds are adequate for 4K streaming off services such as Netflix or Amazon.
