Huawei is going to venture into the TV landscape in a big way. Apparently, the Chinese manufacturer is gearing up for the release of its 5G-capable TV, which if true would make it the first of its kind.
Not only will it feature 5G connectivity, it'll also boast a whopping 8K resolution, which is almost unheard of currently.
Huawei 5G TV
As Nikkei reports, Huawei plans to use this cellular-enabled TV, along with a suite of new PCs, to challenge Samsung's and Apple's dominant position in the global consumer electronics market.
There's precious little detail about the TV, although it being powered by 5G and having 8K resolution are the most significant tidbits at the moment. Nikkei claims the TV will be able to download high-resolution programming over cellular connections, including 360-degree videos and virtual reality content. It's not clear, however, how a typical flat TV would make the most out of such formats. To be fair, though, this TV's configuration remains to be determined.
The TV might serve as a 5G router for other wireless devices, as well, says Nikkei. It would push VR content to VR headsets and HD videos to phones or tablets.
Do We Really Need 8K Right Now?
As of now, there are no networks anywhere in the world broadcasting programs in 8K resolution; in fact, a handful are just starting to transition to 4K programming. TVs with 8K resolutions are also rare. Samsung has recently started selling an 8K TV, though, and other manufacturers are expected to follow its footsteps in the lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which will be broadcast in 8K next year. Sony, too, has announced that the PlayStation 5 will support 8K content, which could give audiences a reason to invest in 8K-capable TVs.
In 2018, there were less than 20,000 8K TVs sold, according to VentureBeat, but projections say sales will balloon by up to 100 times by the end of 2020. It's not clear if there's really a need for 8K TVs at the moment. 4K resolution is already a significant jump from 1080p, and most people are probably even fine with just Full HD. Still, innovation often comes when people least expect it, and 8K seems set to be the next big thing for TVs.
Besides wanting to become a major TV player, Nikkei also claims Huawei wants to become one of the world's top five PC manufacturers within the next three years, and to achieve such a feat, it's preparing a more aggressive challenge to Apple's current dominance in the desktop and laptop markets.
Make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more.
