IHS iSuppli: 4K TV Will See Small Marginal Share

4 Oct, 2012 By: Chris Tribbey

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Consumer demand for 4K TV sets — or sets that offer 3,840 by 2,160 pixel resolution, four times 1080p — will remain marginal for years to come, never gaining for than 1% of the global LCD market through 2017, according to a new IHS iSuppli forecast.

The research firm is expecting a mere 4,000 4K TVs to be shipped in 2012, and that number will grow to 2.1 million in 2017, when it will still only represent 0.8% of global LCD TV shipments. This despite the fact 4K has garnered lots of press and attention, with Sony Electronics announcing an 84-inch 4K set ($25,000) and LG Electronics launching an 84-inch 4K ($20,000). Toshiba Corp. is offering a 55-inch model ($10,000).

“If you have a television that is 60 inches or larger and are watching video that has a 3,840 by 2,160 resolution, then a 4K television makes sense,” said Tom Morrod, director of TV systems and technology research for IHS. “However, a very limited amount of content is available at the 4K resolution. Meanwhile, because of high prices and other issues, the market for super-sized, 60-inch and larger sets is very small — at only about 1.5% of total television shipments in 2012.”

He also noted that for most people, 1080p is good enough.

“The 4K sets can fill the gap at the high-end of television brands’ product lines until the arrival of the next-generation active-matrix organic light-emitting diodes televisions,” Morrod said.

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