14 DAY TRIAL // Only about 200,000 Ultra-High Definition TVs, with a native resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, will ship this year, which is why analysts don't have very high hopes for the business segment.
Or perhaps we should say that analysts didn't have very high hopes until now. IHS iSuppli has actually increased its forecast.
Now, the shipment level is expected to grow by a factor of 23 by 2018.
Thus, if 200,000 UHD TVs ship in 2013, that means that 4.6 million or so will ship 5 years from now.
Thus, they will account for 13% of the total TV industry in 2018.
The growth will be slow over the next two years though, from 1% to 3% in 2014 and then 5% in 2015.
Previously, iSuppli expected 2.6 million units in 2017, but now it has increased the number to 3.6 million.
In the end, it looks like panel makers and brands are cutting prices fast, hence the forecast revision.