Why 8K TVs never caught on with shoppers
LG and Sony have left the 8K TV market and only Samsung still sells one, as a lack of 8K content and diminishing returns held back demand, says Engadget.
The facts
- According to Engadget, LG has exited 8K this year after LG Display stopped making 8K panels, Sony dropped its last 8K sets in 2025, and TCL had already pulled out citing low demand. Samsung is the only maker left, with the QN990H in its 2026 range.
- Omdia reported in September 2024 that nearly a billion 4K TVs were in use worldwide, against cumulative sales of 1.6 million 8K sets since 2015. Omdia said 8K sales peaked in 2022.
- Engadget says there is almost no native 8K content, and 8K sets cost between $3,000 and $40,000. Many home internet connections could not handle 8K streams even if they existed.
- A 2025 University of Cambridge study found that a 44-inch 4K or 8K set viewed from 2.5 metres away looks no better than a QHD screen of similar size, according to Engadget.
Case notes · Danny's take
Why it matters
More pixels is an easy thing to sell. It is a hard thing to justify. 8K failed because the content, the bandwidth and the human eye were not ready, not because the screens were bad. It is a reminder that hardware alone does not make a standard. The ecosystem around it has to show up too.
For builders
Before you build for a spec upgrade, check whether content, bandwidth and real viewing conditions can support it. The 8K story shows that a technical leap with no ecosystem behind it just sits on shelves. If your product depends on users upgrading, ask what they will actually see or save.
Not financial advice. Do your own investigation.
This story was summarised with AI from Engadget's reporting and checked against our editorial policy. Danny's take reflects his views. Disclaimer.
Danny Walter
Founder of Moon Republic, Volt Terminal and Moon Republic Academy. Author of The Market Is a Crime Scene and After the Applause.