LG Abandons 8K TV Production Amid Lack of Consumer Demand

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After years of pushing 8K TVs as the future of home entertainment, LG has announced it will no longer produce 8K LCD or OLED panels, joining other major brands like TCL and Sony in stepping back from the high-resolution format. With virtually no 8K content available and limited consumer benefits, the 8K TV market has failed to gain traction despite industry efforts.

Why it matters

The abandonment of 8K TV production by leading manufacturers signals the format's lack of mainstream appeal and viability. This highlights the challenges tech companies face in convincing consumers to adopt new display technologies without clear benefits or supporting content ecosystems.

The details

LG Display, the panel supplier for LG Electronics, confirmed it is "taking a comprehensive view of current display market trends and the trends within the 8K content ecosystem." LG was the first and only company to sell 8K OLED TVs, starting with the 88-inch Z9 in 2019. However, it has now lowered the price of its 8K OLED models in a bid to spur demand. Other major brands like TCL and Sony have also discontinued their 8K TV lineups due to poor sales.

• In 2012, Sharp brought the first 8K TV prototype to the CES trade show in Las Vegas.
• In 2015, the first 8K TVs started selling in Japan for 16 million yen (about $133,034 at the time).
• In 2018, Samsung released the first 8K TVs in the US, starting at a more reasonable $3,500.
• In 2019, LG released the first 8K OLED TV.
• In 2022, LG lowered the price-of-entry for an 8K OLED TV by $7,000 by charging $13,000 for a 76.7-inch model.