Sharp has announced the release of its Aquos 8K series of TVs and displays later this year, touted as the world’s 8K-compatible sets. In a statement, Sharp said the products will have total image dimensions of 7,680 x 4,320 pixels and will be released in China in October, in Japan in December, in Taiwan in February 2018 and in Europe in March 2018. No specific size or price details were disclosed, with Sharp simply describing 8K as a revolutionary technology for ultra-high-definition images with 16 times the resolution of full-HD. Apart from displaying TV broadcasts and other media contents, 8K is set to dramatically impact sectors such as medicine, business, security and signage, said the company, adding that it intends to complement its 8K TVs by accelerating development of 8K broadcast receivers, 8K cameras and other 8K products.
In Japan the company released an 85-inch 8K monitor using an 8K LCD panel in October 2015 followed by an advanced wideband digital satellite broadcast receiver compatible with 8K ultra-high-definition (UHD) broadcasts in 2016 and a 70-inch 8K monitor in June 2017.
Although no broadcaster or streaming service worldwide yet delivers content in 8K, Japanese public broadcaster Japan Broadcasting Corp (NHK) last year launched 8K ultra high-definition test broadcasting on its BS satellite channels. It said the aim of the tests was verify the technology and popularise it ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
