If there’s one thing the International CES in Las Vegas is known for, it’s for being the place where new TVs are debuted to the world. In the past fifteen years or so, CES has been the showcase for new TV technologies such as HD (1998), plasma (2001), OLED (2008), 3D (2009), and 4K Ultra HD (2012). Last year’s show was dominated by curved televisions from LG and Samsung, and we even saw TVs that can actually switch between flat and curved on demand.
Generally, it takes about a year or two before those new TVs are found on store shelves. If you’ve been in the market for a TV lately, there are now plenty of 4K Ultra HD options, many of which are now low enough in price that the average consumer would consider them. There are even curved TVs available for purchase in many electronics stores right now.
So what will be the hot new TV technology at this year’s CES? Now that 4K Ultra HD TVs are more or less mainstream, the next step in resolution is 8K, also known as 4320p. 8K TVs have 7680 pixel by 4320 pixel panels and can display a tremendous amount of detail. A number of companies have already shown off massive and hugely expensive 8K TVs, but this year’s CES could be the first time we see options that are reachable for the average consumer.
It would be nice to see more options for 4k Ultra HD content this year, as it is still difficult to even find 4K Ultra HD content to display on your new TV. If manufacturers want to push even higher-resolution televisions on consumers, someone has to figure out how to provide content that actually takes advantage of all those pixels, or shoppers just won’t bite.
We’ll also likely see more curved TVs this year, as more manufacturers adopt the technology and it becomes a more mainstream feature. 3D TVs have been waning in recent CES years, and it’s likely that we won’t see many at this year’s show either. Though 3D TVs have been around for a few years now, many consumers do not find them particularly appealing, since they require cumbersome glasses and special 3D content that isn’t readily available.
There’s a good chance we’ll see more virtual reality technology this year, however. Companies like Oculus and Sony have demonstrated modern VR headsets for a couple of years, and it’s likely that more companies will pile on to the VR craze. Virtual reality has the potential to shake up both the television and gaming industry at the same time, so it’s a very interesting space to watch.
We can’t say for sure what we’ll see at this year’s CES, and that’s part of the fun. The show kicks off in just about a month’s time, and the world’s electronics makers will be there in force showing off their latest and greatest products. You’re not going to want to miss it.
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