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Evolution of HDTV Gains New Momentum with HDR

Consumer video entertainment is about to evolve, once again. High dynamic range (HDR) features will infiltrate some full high-definition (HD) television sets and thereby help to boost the emerging 4K TV set (UltraHD) market momentum.

ABI Research forecasts that HDR TV shipments will grow at a 41 percent CAGR and reach 245 million units in 2022. According to their assessment, 8K TV sets are still years away from reaching the global market, with market hype currently centering on Japan’s plans to deliver 8K video at the 2020 Olympics.

HDR TV Market Development

"As evident with Sony’s recent announcement to include HDR in all its new TV sets, the next-generation TV technology will soon be a prominent feature in many UltraHD TV sets," said Khin Sandi Lynn, analyst at ABI Research.

While some less expensive TV sets will not yet support the new technology, high-end TV manufacturers recognize the value that HDR functionality brings to the customer viewing experience.

Vendors including LG, Samsung, and Sony plan to incorporate HDR in their UltraHD TV sets as a premium feature to support better color and detail. Yet, even as HDR could reach the market this year, TV broadcasters continue to hold back due to a changing video industry standards environment.

Meanwhile, HDR10 is considered the baseline industry norm, but Dolby Vision offers premium features like dynamic scene-by-scene metadata to further enhance the TV image.

Amazon and Samsung recently announced the development of HDR10+, a version of the HDR10 standard that uses Dynamic Tone Mapping to produce enhanced contrast and colors.

ABI analysts believe that this standard does not have a required industry coalition to foster adoption at this time, which may further confuse the market. And, while UltraHD TV set shipments steadily grow, some TV manufacturers are already preparing for the next generation: the 8K TV standard.

Outlook for 8K TV Market Adoption

Japanese TV manufacturer Sharp announced the first 8K TV set in late 2015, which cost approximately $130,000. Chinese manufacturers Chang Hong, Hisense, and Skyworth introduced 8K TV sets in 2017, but they are not yet available for sale.

ABI says that it will likely be several years before the new TV sets reach mainstream consumers. In the interim, the video monitor version of the technology are finding a role in digital signage markets.

"8K TV sets will enter the market in small quantities in 2020 but mainly in Japan and possibly South Korea, areas in which broadcasters are now working toward 8K broadcast," concludes Lynn. "In the meantime, it will remain UltraHD HDR TV sets that dominate the overall market."

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