You Can Soon Buy an 8K TV -- But There's a Catch Sharp's $133,000 ultra-HD television will go on sale in October.

By Arjun Kharpal

This story originally appeared on CNBC

Shutterstock

Japanese electronics company Sharp is planning to release the world's first commercially available 8K television in October and it can be yours for 16 million yen ($133,000).

8K refers to the television's resolution, which is even sharper than 4K or ultra-high definition (ultra-HD). 8K delivers 16 times the resolution of full-HD (high definition).

Sharp says the TV will go on sale on October 30 and will be an 85-inch set.

But should you rush out and buy this future piece of tech? Probably not, as there is no 8K content to watch.

Japan's public broadcaster is testing long-distance 8K television broadcasts, but isn't aiming to deploy it until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Most companies are only just discussing 4K. BT Sport, a U.K. bundle of television channels, broadcast a soccer match this year in 4K and has one ultra-HD channel that shows matches occasionally. Netflix and Amazon both have a small amount of content in 4K.

And earlier this month, Samsung unveiled its first ultra-HD Blu-ray player. At the same time, Samsung announced that its current "SUHD" brand of TVs would begin supporting high-dynamic-range imaging (HDR) content. LG also unveiled a HDR-capable 4K TV – seen as the near-term future in the industry.

Images shot in HDR essentially make the contrast between light and dark colors more prominent, so the white highlights are even brighter. The purpose is to make the image on screen look more realistic.

Sharp's 8K TV will also support HDR content. But Sharp has not announced any partners that it is working with to create 8K content, whereas both LG and Samsung have said they are talking to movie studios and streaming services to release 4K programming.

Samsung has partnered with Fox so that all of its new movie releases will be brought out on ultra-HD Blu-ray. LG has struck a partnership with Amazon to allow users to stream some of the U.S. e-commerce giant's original programs such as "Transparent" in HDR quality.

Sharp showed off this 8K model at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, while Samsung took the wraps off a 110-inch 8K TV. Still, Sharp's model is the first commercially available one on the market.

News Assistant, CNBC EU News Digital Team

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Employee Experience & Recruiting

AI Is Far From Perfect — 5 Ways to Automate Your Hiring Process With Minimal Errors

Automation is now part of almost everyone's hiring process. But this has also led to problems, like AI bias and missed opportunities for qualified candidates. Here are some proven ways you can automate your hiring process while making sure you avoid AI-related issues.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Mark Cuban Floats the Idea of Launching His Own Meme Coin Like $TRUMP — But With a Twist

In a provocative post on X, the "Shark Tank" star and billionaire teased the idea of using the proceeds from a meme coin to "make a dent in the US debt."

Business News

Is ChatGPT Still Down? Workers and Students Complain They Have to Write Code and Essays Themselves

OpenAI says they fixed the issue, which appeared to be worldwide, just after 10 a.m. EST.

Leadership

Work-Life Balance is a Lie — Here are 4 Ways You Can Be Fully Invested in Both

The article argues that entrepreneurs should prioritize being fully present in both work and family life by delegating tasks, setting boundaries, celebrating achievements and nurturing meaningful relationships for true success.

Business Models

3 Business Models That Will Shape the Future of Entrepreneurship in 2025 and Beyond

This article helps entrepreneurs to understand how they can improve business using AI and other models for growing their business.