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Promoting information applications to benefit 8K TV sales

Tom Lo, DIGITIMES Research, Taipei

While Ultra-HD (UHD) content is still insufficient at the moment, related makers and service providers should expand the scope of information applications to highlight the value of such high resolution and stimulate demand for 8K TVs.

Cable operators have just started offering paid 4K value-added service in 2018 in line with the completion of 4K terrestrial broadcasting standards and trial broadcasting. OTT has then become the earliest platform to roll out 4K video services, although some short 8K videos have appeared on YouTube. OTT is likely to pioneer the 8K video services, Digitimes Research believes.

But the lack of 8K videos will highlight the value of 8K TVs' video processing capability. The scaling technology used for video processing has begun to utilize AI applications in the 8K era. The use of AI gives TV chips the learning ability to self-improve the quality of image, and therefore will be instrumental to driving up demand for 8K TVs.

Digitimes Research also believes that in addition to improving the image of non-8K videos through AI scaling technology, the TV industry should also expand related information applications to crease demand for 8K TVs. As compared with video content, the presentation of a large amount of text or maps through information applications will highlight the superior image quality of 8K TVs.

Smart TVs supporting information applications have not been popular due to a lack of an efficient human-machine interface for inputting commands. Since AI-based voice technology has become mature in recent years, the TV industry should make good use this technology to expand the scope of information applications through TVs, which in turn will benefit the development of 8K TV market.