Huawei could be the first company to make an 8K 5G TV – i.e. a TV with an 8K resolution (four times that of a 4KTV) and the next-gen wireless standard capable of gigabit throughput. That’s according to a report from Nikkei Asian Review who spoke to sources familiar with Huawei’s plans.
If the product comes to fruition, this would not only be the first TV to integrate the two technologies – a historic first in its own right – but it would be Huawei’s first TV period after years of supplying components to other Chinese TV makers like Hisense, Skyworth and Changhong.
Moreover, not only would this TV be able utilize the 5G spectrum but, according to those sources, it would be able to share that gigabit connection like a wireless router for other devices in your home.
According to the sources Nikkei spoke to, it’s Huawei’s desire to create a TV to complete its ecosystem of products that includes phones, laptops and wearables. The thought is that the final piece of the puzzle could be ready as soon as this year in the country’s home territory of China.
Too much of a good thing?
Admittedly, an 8K 5G TV sounds like overkill given the current, nearly-nonexistent infrastructure around those two technologies. There are barely any native 8K videos available for consumer viewing at the moment, and 5G is facing some severe limitations here in the American market.
Still, this product concept shows that Huawei is thinking about the future – how TVs could finally detach themselves from the cable company completely and the next big step in TV tech – 8K resolution.
Of course, until 8K becomes a more concrete technology, that same connection could be useful in streaming 3D and 360-degree videos – both of which need a larger bandwidth than 1080p and 4K content.
So are we ready for Huawei’s 8K 5G TV today? Maybe not. But it could be the first step towards a future in which 8K 5G TVs aren’t the exception, they’re the norm.
