4K years from mass market adoption

4K or Ultra-HD video will remain a niche market for at least five years but will ultimately reach the mainstream. Online streaming and video on demand will play a critical early role but pay television will provide support as the ecosystem matures. That is the conclusion of a new report forecasting the ecosystem over a decade.

The Diffusion Group report considers the prospects for 4K devices, programming and share of viewing. It discusses the role of video resolution and how 4K will play across the expanding variety of screens on which video is viewed.

Joel Espelien, author of the report, notes that short-term viewership of 4K video will be driven by consumer purchases of smart TVs with 4K features. However, the diffusion of 4K televisions will occur more slowly than many believe due to poor consumer awareness, high prices, and lack of 4K programming.

The report suggests that devices from companies like Amazon, Apple and Roku will join smart televisions in supporting 4K streaming from online video services.http://www.asi.eu.com/2014/08/19/4k-years-from-mass-market-adoption/