Report Forecasts Global Sales of 8K TVs Reaching 5.8 Million Sets in 2022

Global sales of 8K TVs are expected to increase to 5.8 million sets in 2022 from 100,000 this year, with China having more than 60 percent of the total market during the period, said Insight Media and Display Supply Chain Consultants in a Monday report. The Tokyo Olympics, which open in July 2020, will be “a major driver in the development of 8K infrastructure,” with NHK leading the efforts to produce and broadcast Olympic programming to homes, it said. “NHK continues to meet or exceed milestones for 8K broadcasting in 2020, as the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, will mark at least the sixth major world event since 2012 where NHK has demonstrated 8K capture and display,” it said. The display industry “plans for massive expansion of Gen 10.5 capacity,” which will enable “efficient production” of 65- and 75-inch panels for 8K TVs, said the report. Capacity of “Gen 10+” substrates for displays is expected to increase to at least 807 million square feet in 2022 from more than 86 million in 2017, it said. Manufacturing costs for 8K LCD panels will be high, said the report, which estimates it currently costs $1,000 to produce a 65-inch LCD panel for 8K TVs, though it’s expected the cost will be reduced to $595 by 2021.