Katarzyna Petru
Televisions with a diagonal of over 80 inches are becoming increasingly affordable. According to forecasts from the research company Omdia, this segment is expected to grow by as much as 44% over the next five years.
Leading the way are TCL with 85 and 98-inch models, closely followed by Hisense with 100-inch screens. Also joining the fray are LG, Thomson, Samsung, Sony and others, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down.
– “Significantly lower prices for ultra-large televisions are making this previously premium category accessible to a wider group of consumers. This is due to more efficient production and the strategies of Chinese brands, which focus more on market share and brand visibility than on margin in the segment above $1000” – comments Matthew Rubin, chief TV market analyst at Omdia.
They are powered by LCD, not OLED
The growth is mainly driven by LED-backlit LCD televisions. OLED and microLED in sizes over 80 inches are still prohibitively expensive, although prices for 83-inch OLEDs are starting to slowly decline.
The entire TV market will not grow significantly – from 209 million units in 2025 to 211 million in 2029 – but it will be the ultra-large segment that will account for this growth. Omdia forecasts that sales of televisions over 80 inches will rise from 9 million in 2025 to over 13 million in 2029. The leaders will remain China and North America, while growth in Europe will be moderate.
RGB LED instead of 8K
Producers are increasingly focusing on RGB LED technology, which will soon make its way into mid-range models.
Hisense is already announcing cheaper models with this backlighting for next year, while Sony and Samsung are preparing to expand their offerings beyond flagship models. LG is also signalling work on its own RGB LED.
Interestingly, manufacturers are now placing greater emphasis on RGB LED in ultra-large televisions rather than further promoting 8K.
