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The 8K TV revolution may have to be put on ice after it became clear that the next wave of power-hungry displays could be banned in parts of Europe.
Industry Website FlatspanelHD (opens in new tab) Noting that the European Union is preparing to introduce stricter energy requirements for televisions from March next year, he highlighted the issue for manufacturers.
New regulations set by the 2023 Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) include lowering the maximum level of power consumption imposed on all new TVs produced. This effectively prevents TVs with modern high-definition panels, such as Samsung’s QN800B, from being sold in the region.
The 8K Association, an industry group, has posted the following statement on its website outlining the headaches the new requirements may bring to manufacturers: New EU electricity consumption regulations are coming into force.
“8K TVs (and microLED-based displays) have power limits set so low that basically none of these devices pass. A requirement that these devices cannot be sold in the EU would have very dire implications for all parties working to develop the 8K ecosystem, including consumers with limited access to devices and innovations. give.”
The European Union is due to review its 2023 EEI by the end of this year, meaning future energy requirements remain subject to revision.
Some manufacturers reportedly want this decision to apply only to the display’s default picture mode (as is currently the case).
In that case, manufacturers apply out-of-the-box settings to newer TVs to reduce brightness, prompting users when they try to access better performance settings, and warning them that the brightness has been increased, so that new It means you can circumvent the restrictions. necessary energy requirements.
Analysis: Now is not the time for the 8K era to shine
The emergence of 8K has been somewhat hampered by several key factors.
According to market analyst Omdia, 8K TVs will account for just 0.15% of all TV shipments in 2021, with only 350,000 units sold worldwide, and 65%, or about 227,500 units, of Samsung models. and mostly shipped to China.
The supply chain crisis and general lack of persuasive content available in this format have become obvious adoption issues. While the first issue is starting to dissipate, the second remains a major obstacle to making his early adoption of 8K TVs look worthwhile.
Few linear TV broadcasters and streaming services around the world have roadmaps to begin widespread transmission in 8K, and at this stage have mostly just scratched the surface of 4K HDR.
Large sporting events such as the Olympics often drive demand for larger TVs and new image advancements. But while the 2006 World Cup gave a big boost to the HD era for broadcasters, it’s worth noting that talk of this year’s tournament in Qatar being broadcast in 8K didn’t make it to Brazil in 2018. It is that it has not progressed beyond the test broadcast.
Meanwhile, none of the big five streaming services appear to be in a rush to implement higher-definition content, with the likes of Hulu still in the process of offering HDR with a limited library.
All of these content pioneers show why the world isn’t ready for the 8K revolution yet, but newly proposed EU legislation on 8K adoption and computing for consumer technology in general It probably points to an even bigger problem.
Most consumers now buy new products knowing that replacing their gadget is costly to the environment, and upgrade with more thought before consigning their devices to landfills. .
But the cost of living crisis, coupled with the dramatic rise in energy prices across Europe, has left consumers wondering how much power their new fancy, eye-melting bright TVs will consume when high electricity bills hit. This intervention from the EU is probably timely.
These new rules can be painful for manufacturers, but they inevitably discourage brands from bringing to market inefficient devices that ultimately benefit everyone.
Clearly, the technology and ecosystem surrounding 8K needs to mature. The time may come, but now is probably not the time. Indeed, this year’s Black Friday TV deals are expected to continue to be dominated by his 4K TVs at their best.
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