For years, tech firms tried to flog us the notion that we would all be gagging for an 8K display.
In 2012, Sharp wheeled out the first 8K TV prototype at CES in Las Vegas, kicking off a long campaign of glossy promises. By 2015, the first 8K TVs went on sale in Japan for 16 million yen (about €119,000), and in 2018, Samsung brought 8K sets to the US, starting at $3,500.
By 2016, the Video Electronics Standards Association had specced out support for 8K via DisplayPort 1.4, with the HDMI Forum following with HDMI 2.1. By 2017, the Grey Box Shifter was punting an 8K computer monitor, and in 2019 LG put out the first 8K OLED TV to keep the “future” posters rolling.
LG still has marketing up on its US site, insisting “the future of TV is 8K”, but 8K never made much sense outside slide decks and showroom bragging rights.
Now the retreat is getting real. FlatpanelsHD reports that LG Display has stopped producing 8K LCD and OLED panels and is now sounding like a company looking to exit while keeping the door open.
LG Display representative said, “taking a comprehensive view of current display market trends and the trends within the 8K content ecosystem.”
“The technical readiness is already complete, LG Display is fully prepared to respond immediately whenever the market and customers determine that the timing is right,” the representative said.
LG Electronics was the first and only outfit selling 8K OLED TVs, starting with the 88-inch Z9 in 2019. In 2022, it tried to make 8K OLED look less ridiculous by knocking $7,000 off the entry price, asking $13,000 for a 76.7-inch set.
FlatpanelsHD also cited anonymous sources saying LG Electronics will not restock the 2024 QNED99T, its last 8K LCD TV. That is the sort of “support” you get when a product line is being gently pushed into the sea.
LG is not alone in drifting away. TCL last shipped an 8K TV in 2021 and said in 2023 it was not making more because demand was pants.
Sony has discontinued its last 8K TVs and appears unlikely to return to the 8 K market, with the company reportedly planning to sell the majority of its Bravia TV business to TCL. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry has continued buying 4K sets as usual.
Omdia said in September 2024, there were “nearly 1 billion 4K TVs currently in use.” In the same breath, Omdia analyst Paul Gray said only 1.6 million 8K TVs had been sold since 2015, with sales peaking in 2022.
That collapse shows up in the 8K Association’s membership list too. It launched in 2019 with Samsung, TCL, Hisense and panel maker AU Optronics, but its current roster is down to 16 firms, including just two TV makers, Samsung and Panasonic.
An archived membership page shows the group had 33 members at the end of 2022, and it previously promised to “promote 8K TVs and 8K content to consumers and professionals” while “helping secure 8K native content for members.”
The failure was easy to spot. The sets were pricey, native 8K content was basically missing in action, and plenty of streaming, broadcast and gaming still lean on 1920×1080.
Gaming was meant to be 8K’s big excuse, but even that got messy. The PlayStation 5 Pro was initially marketed as supporting 8K, then Sony walked it back in June 2024 after it became clear the real-world limitations were grim.
A lot of the problem is that people have to sit uncomfortably close to spot the difference. The University of Cambridge’s display resolution calculator suggests you only get meaningful 8K benefit on a 50-inch screen at around one metre viewing distance, with bigger screens needing you planted much nearer than most living rooms allow.
If you are spending big money on TV tech in 2026, you are more likely to care about OLED, HDR, Micro LED, quantum dots or newer panel tricks than chasing extra pixels.
