Chinese Consumers And Manufacturers Are Having The Biggest Impact On The 4K TV Market

Consumer uptake of 4K TVs will come relatively quickly because average selling prices of existing 4K sets have already dropped a great deal and will drop much further.

Half of all North American households will have 4K-capable televisions by 2024, just ten years from now.

But right now, North America isn't the dominant market for 4K TV.

In a recent report from BI Intelligence looking at the worldwide market for 4K TVs, we found that China currently accounts for the greatest share of 4K Ultra HD television shipments. The country will receive 78% of 4K Ultra HD TV shipments this year, according to NPD.

Moreover, unlike the smart TV market, in which American, Japanese, and Korean companies are dominant, China-based manufacturers account for a major share of the global 4K TV market. As you can see in the BI Intelligence chart above Sony has the greatest market share, followed by Samsung, and then a number of different Chinese manufacturers make up over a third of 4K TV shipments.

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Here are some of the key findings from the report:

• 4K-capable TVs will be in 10% of all North American households by year-end 2018. We forecast that this number will reach 50% by the end of 2024, just 10 years from now.
• The first wave of 4K content will become available on streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Instant, and YouTube. But we also look at how cable and traditional TV broadcasters will adopt the new format, and the obstacles they face.
• Shipments of 4K-capable TVs will reach 11 million units worldwide by the end of 2016, with China accounting for the largest share of these shipments. We look at why 4K adoption has been so rapid in China.
• We also look at manufacturers' market share for 4K TV shipments, a market heavily dominated by low-cost Chinese manufacturers.

In full, the report:

• Explains the difference between 4K and traditional HD.
• Forecasts the pace of 4K adoption.
• Outlines the key factors that will allow 4K to roll out much faster than standard high definition.
• Highlights what 4K content is currently available, and where future content will come from.
• Analyzes China's role in the spread of 4K.
• Examines the current market share for 4K TV manufacturers.

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