Over a three-year period, the global distribution of 8K televisions has fallen by -65%, dropping from 386,000 units in 2022 to 136,800 in 2024. That is what the latest figures from Omdia reveal. The definition [abc]Ultra HD[/abc] [abc]8K[/abc], once seen as the logical successor to UHD 4K, is now undergoing a sharp decline. Who is to blame?
Samsung, the only player facing the new standards
After Sony, TCL and LG exited the market, Samsung is left alone in the 8K segment. Obstacles cited to the adoption of the format include a still-high price and a lack of native content. In addition, after 4K, market evolution continued not in resolution, but in light-source technologies such as mini [abc]LED[/abc] and micro [abc]RGB[/abc], screen sizes, or upscaling via AI algorithms.
A future limited to a premium niche market
“To fully benefit from 8K, the content must offer equivalent image quality, and the environment needed to watch in 8K on a daily basis is not yet sufficiently in place, an expert quoted by Omdia says. Although the format has not established itself in the mass market, there is clearly premium demand for very high resolution; the format should therefore retain a presence, for now, in a niche market.”
