8K TVs appear to be on the outer with one major brand dropping the top end 8K TV technology all together, also cutting back is market leader Samsung.
At JB Hi Fi the retailer is ranging 9 Samsung 8K models, Vs 167 4K models, they are also only ranging only 1 LG 8K OLED TV.
At Harvey Norman there are only 11, 8K TVs listed, Vs 59 4K TV models with the bulk of the display technology being QLED or Mini LED.
Recently Global tech research company Omdia predicted that 8K TVs could end in the same place as 3D TV’s dead in the water due to a lack of content.
Last year 8K TVs only made up 0.15% of 2021 total TV shipments, with only 350,0000 units shipped globally last year.
Currently Samsung accounts for a massive 65% of all 8K TV shipments however research reveals that they actually shipped nearly 20% fewer 8K TVs in 2021 than it did in the previous year.
Several brands have chosen to eliminate 8K TV’s altogether including Visio a major US brand who this week announced their 2022/2023 line-up that consists of only 4K TV’s.
One major retailer in Australia said, “Consumers are well aware that there is limited content for 8K and right now most consumers are happy buying 4K as the quality difference is minimal between top end 4K TV’s and 8K. Consumers are also suspicious of 8K up scaling”.
The negative spiral for the 8K market is already being felt by retailers in Australia with orders for 8K Vs 4K reflecting that the market is primarily 4K.
A Harvey Norman franchisee said, “customers don’t see any convincing reason to pay a premium for an 8K TV when there’s so little 8K content around, we believe that 8K will go the same way as 3D TVs with creators of content not wanting to invest in producing 8K content”.
Currently the only country where there’s 8K content support is Japan, with its dedicated 8K channel from NHK.
In Australia all of the free to air TV stations are still delivering HD content with the exception of Foxtel who are delivering 4K content and live sports coverage in 4K.
The Omdia reports that the biggest market for 8K TVs in 2021 was actually China, ahead of Western Europe and North America.
Omdia expects that only 2.7 million households worldwide will have an 8K TV by the end of 2026.
The lack of 8K TV uptake is also another reason for content creators not to invest in 8K content claims analysts.
Currently Samsung, Sony, LG, TCL, and Hisense have 8K models in their Australian TV ranges for 2022.
