4K is the latest TV resolution technology to be made available in the consumer space. It refers to any screen that has a 4,000 pixels horizontal resolution and 2,000 pixels vertical resolution.
This resolution is about four times better than today’s standard 1080p Full HD technology.
Such resolution makes images more clear and sharp when compared to more conventional technologies.
The technology was originally patented by Sony back in 2003 and it is expected to become a standard technology in 2017.
Despite 4K only having started making it through the consumer market around 2014, the industry is already working on the next generation of 8K screens.
These will be resolutions in the order of 8,000 pixels horizontally and 4,000 pixels vertically. 10K and 16K resolutions are also being worked on.
While 8K and 16K are not released, 4K TV sales are expected to boom over the next years as prices all fall. In 2015 alone, the market grew 160% with 32 million units sold, according to Future Source. By 2020, this is expected to grow to 140 million.
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