Tech update
NEXT MONTH Samsung will add a 55-inch display to its unique 8K TV line-up. It launched four 8K models earlier this year and remains the only brand in New Zealand offering such high resolution TVs.
Despite releasing 8K TVs in Australia, Sony and LG don’t plan to do likewise here this year.
NZ also missed out on Samsung’s first-generation 8K TV but the company says sales of the second generation are going well - despite five-figure price tags.
The 65-inch model can now be bought for $9500 but it went on sale for $11,000, the 75-inch for $16,000, the 82-inch for $20,000 and the 98-inch for $80,000.
“We are very pleased with the how Kiwis are embracing 8K,” a Samsung spokesman says.
“We have found that the 65-inch 8K is the most popular size, followed by the 82-inch.
“We are currently looking to introduce a new Samsung 55-inch 8K model to our range in October.”
Tech Radar Australia reports the new model looks “just as good as its larger siblings - although the pure spectacle of 8K content is diminished somewhat by its smaller size.
“So far, we’re impressed - and while the specs and features are pretty much identical to the other variants in the range, the new, smaller size is a game changer.
“It means that 8K televisions can finally find a place in the average home, where space is at a premium and spending upwards of $5000 on a flashy display is simply out of the question.”
Of course, the downside of 8K TVs is there isn’t native 8K content to view - the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video max out at 4K-UHD and local services, like Stuff PIX, Neon and Lightbox, at HD.
However, Samsung is partnering with major European streaming services to support 8K HDR10+ streaming within the next six months and is working on the world’s first 5G-8K TV with South Korea’s SK Telecom.
While there aren’t similar plans for NZ at this stage, Samsung has been developing a Disney+ app in time for its launch in November, when the service will offer 4K streams for $10 a month.
Samsung’s TVs also will be the only models with a built-in Apple TV+ app when the service launches in NZ on November 1 for $8.99 a month.
Meanwhile, LG claims its 8K OLED and Nanocell TVs achieve the best resolution.
It argues 8K TVs shouldn’t just be defined by the number of pixels they have (7680 x 4320), but also how well the TV panel can distinguish/contrast between those pixels.
Tellingly, LG isn’t a member of the recently announced 8K Association that Samsung and Panasonic helped to spearhead.
The group’s new 8K TV specification includes recommended performance levels for High Dynamic Range (HDR), colour and interface requirements to give consumers confidence in the 8K TVs they buy.
The 8KA plans to promote a logo on any member’s 8K TV that meets or exceeds the newly defined technical standard.