Samsung Electronics entered the new year with an announcement of a new partnership with the 8K Association (8KA). The main purpose of this collaboration is to create a new certification program for 8K TVs and label them as such, making it easier for customers to differentiate between 8K-certified products and other devices.
Although Samsung's QLED 8K TVs will be among the first to bear the 8KA certification logo this year, the program is obviously not limited to the Korean company's product portfolio. Other brands can obtain the certificate as long as their TVs meet certain requirements.
These requirements are not limited only to reaching an 8K resolution. In other words, an 8K panel won't necessarily guarantee an 8KA certificate, and there are a few other criteria that need to be met before OEMs can promote their 8KA products. In short, 8KA-certified TVs will have to top a resolution of 7680 by 4320 as well as peak brightness levels equal to or greater than 600 nits. They also have to support HVEC and HDMI 2.1.
Samsung joins the 8K Association just in time for CES
Although the official announcement makes no reference to CES 2020, the timing suggests that Samsung might unveil its first 8KA-certified TVs at the event in Las Vegas. The company is already expected to unveil new 8K TVs at the event, one of which might eliminate bezels entirely.
Likewise, Samsung could unveil a new AI-based 8K upscaling technology at the same event, and we expect the company and its rivals to make a stronger push into 8K territory this year.
