In recent years, we have seen the television industry come on in leaps and bounds, with a whole host of advancements made to enhance user experience. The vast majority of TVs on the market today come armed with all of the very latest streaming services, and crystal clear 4K capabilities. But what does 2019 hold for the television industry, and what new advancements are we likely to see come the end of the year? This article will give you all of the answers you seek!
Smart Screens
At this year’s CES, Smart Screens featured prominently and look set to take centre stage in 2019. Whilst the vast majority of manufacturers have Smart Screens in development at present, there are signs that this technology isn’t actually too far off from being sold to the public. Amazon were the first to announce they are planning on producing a Smart Screen, which is likely to be the first dedicated TV with an Amazon Echo device built in as standard.
One brand which is drawing plenty of attention for their take on Smart Screens is LG, as they are aiming to base their Smart Screen strategy around the kitchen. They are looking at ways that these screens could be put to use to show users recipes through voice-activated controls and are even testing the viability of using the Smart Screen to directly control certain kitchen appliances.
Based on the way manufacturers are developing Smart Screens, it appears that the humble television could now be used for more than just entertainment purposes; it may soon become a necessity of modern day-to-day living.
Launch of New Streaming Services
With Netflix, Amazon Prime and NowTV proving to be a huge hit in the past few years, it’s no surprise that many more providers are looking to capitalise on this huge market. 2019 looks set to introduce three new on-demand streaming services to the market, with Disney+, WarnerFlix and AppleFlix all in the mix to be launched.
All three services will offer a similar user experience to streaming services which are already on the market, with a mixture of films and TV series available to the user. With Disney, Warner and Apple all possessing the financial means to launch their own ‘exclusive’ TV series and films in the coming years, we can expect to have plenty of innovative shows to enjoy in the very near future.
TV Screens Get Bigger and Cheaper
As each year goes by, TVs just seem to increase in size and 2019 looks set to be no different. Just a few years ago, a 42-inch TV seemed huge, but in today’s market this is probably on the smaller end, with 55-inch and 65-inch TVs commonplace.
An increasing demand for bigger TV sets is a trend that crops up every year, and we can expect to see 70-inch TVs and bigger continuing to grow in popularity throughout the year.
The ever-increasing size of TVs also has an added benefit for those customers who are looking for TVs that are slightly smaller too, as the prices of these sets are constantly lowering. If you’re in the market for a TV size below 50 inches, you’ll be surprised just how many features you can get included for an affordable price.
8K TVs
While it may seem odd to be talking about 8K TVs deals with cheap 4K TVs only becoming mainstream in the last year or so, 8K is definitely coming soon. CES 2019 essentially became a launch party for 8K TVs and whilst these TVs are unobtainable for many of us at present. Samsung are currently selling their 8K model in the US for $15,000; once more manufacturers’ 8K TVs hit the market the price will most likely drop.
There is a real buzz surrounding 8K TVs and there is good reason for this, with models boasting 33 million pixels, compared to 4K’s 8 million. 8K TVs promise to give users a sharper, more detailed and immersive viewing experience.
