In 2013, an estimated 60,000 TVs with Ultra HD (4K) resolution were sold around the world. This year, the Consumer Electronics Association expects that figure to balloon to 500,000 and by 2017, the CEA expects 3 million Ultra HD TVs from companies like Samsung, LG, Sony and more to be sold worldwide. Dropping prices will be a big contributing factor to the growing popularity of televisions that pack 4K panels, and so will the increasing competition in the emerging space that is set to kick off this week at CES 2014.
According to a presentation given by the CEA’s chief economist Shawn DuBravac, we should see about 75 new “UHDTV” sets unveiled this week in Las Vegas. Including including hardware rollouts, distribution deals and other related announcements, DuBravac thinks the total number of Ultra HD TVs introduced at CES this week will likely climb to about 150 devices.
Wearable computing devices like smartwatches, fitness bands and connected eyewear might be the most talked-about category this year, but Ultra HD devices like Samsung’s new chalkboard TV and Vizio’s “best TV in the world” will also be huge at 2014’s biggest consumer electronics show.