Increasing Number of Smartphones Are Capable of 4K Video

An estimated 160 million phones sold this year will feature 4K video-capable cameras, while only two percent of TVs shipped to North America will have 4K screens. These cameras will be available on high-end models, including the Samsung Galaxy S5, the Sony Xperia Z2 and the LG G Pro 2. Meanwhile, cable, satellite and telecommunications companies are unlikely to move to Ultra HD for a few years as they wait for more TVs to show up in American homes.

Samsung_Galaxy_Note_3“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” said cinematographer Alec Weinstein, who conducted his own video test to compare the performance of a phone’s 4K camera and the Canon 5D Mark III.

“He found that the Galaxy Note’s 4K video provided a more detailed, crisper image, even when downscaled to the lower high-definition format, though the Canon did better in low-light conditions and offered greater control over depth of field and focus,” explains Re/code.

However, there is no simple way to get the video from the phone to the TV. Technical details, such as this, are expected to be worked out in the next year.

Ultra HD quality streaming has become available on services such as Netflix and Amazon, and is supported by YouTube. Also, movie theaters have been screening 4K movies since 2007.

“Sales of 4K TVs could increase tenfold this year, as compared with the prior year’s modest volumes, as major manufacturers drop prices below $2,000, according to Strategy Analytics’ forecasts,” reports Re/code.

Even so, while Ultra HD displays are expected to reach tablet devices before any other mobile device, this update is not expected to occur until next year.

“Even though a high-profile sporting event like the 2014 World Cup soccer games were captured in 4K by Brazilian TV service Globosat, using Broadcom technology, those broadcasts weren’t carried by America’s leading sports network, ESPN,” notes the article.

No Comments Yet

You can be the first to comment!

Sorry, comments for this entry are closed at this time.