Advanced Television

Analyst: Large 4K sets dominate market

April 9, 2018

Chris Forrester @ MIPTV

Paul Gray, IHS Markit’s Research Director, says that 4K sets now represent more than half of all sets shipped in North America and over two-thirds in China. Gray, speaking at MIPTV in Cannes on April 9th, and where 4K/UHD content is being extensively screened over the 4 days of the market, said that the average screen sizes (in Q4/2017) being bought by consumers are now well over 45” in North America and China, and with Europe rapidly catching up despite very different home sizes.

Screen manufacturing investment in capacity, especially in China, is enjoying a massive surge, especially in the 65” and 75” sizes. Gray added that 55” and above is driving growth, but that the 65”-69” segment of the market is steadily growing. He pointed out that sales in Western Europe of 55” sets will out-ship 32” sales by Q4 this year.

He also forecast that 8K is very much a reality, and that China will dominate shipments with “aggressive” introduction by China’s powerful manufacturing companies despite – today – there being very little content to view.  By 2022, he said, some 5.5 million 8K sets will be shipping (although mostly within China). “Early-adopting consumers, enthusiastic for new features,” will be at the forefront, he added.

The MIPTV 4K event, sponsored by Sony and Eutelsat, also heard that UHD channel growth was well up on last year with more than 40 UHD channels now available in Western Europe (and where duplicated services from the likes of TravelXP and InsightTV are counted as a single service).

Further details of Gray’s findings can be found Advanced Television’s UHD Special.

Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Equipment, Equipment, Markets, Production, Research, UHD, Ultra-HD/4K