When the coronavirus pandemic shuttered movie theaters in 2020, many movies set to release throughout the year made the jump straight to view-on-demand — including films nominated for the upcoming 93rd Academy Awards.
Audiences following stay-at-home orders and social distancing measures embraced their personal “home theaters” for entertainment. By October 2020, about one-third of consumers rented at least one new movie released directly to streaming, and more than half planned to do so in the next six months, according to Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® research.
“For the homebound consumer, having the latest video and audio technology has become increasingly important,” said Sayon Deb, manager of market research at CTA. “Over the past year, technology has helped bring many out-of-home activities indoors including entertainment, fitness and health. More time spent engaging with digital media is driving consumers to upgrade their tech for a high-quality and immersive experience, embracing 4K Ultra HD and 8K UHD, new audio systems and more.”
More time spent engaging with digital media is driving consumers to upgrade their tech for a high-quality and immersive experience, embracing 4K Ultra HD, new audio systems and more.Sayon Deb Manager, Market Research, CTA
In a record-setting year for U.S. TV shipments in 2020, households channeled discretionary dollars into upgrading their sets. The demand for displays is expected to continue throughout 2021, as TVs remain the entertainment hubs for so many homes.
4K Ultra High-Definition is here to stay — for years to come. And now 8K UHD TV takes UHD to the next level for the largest screens, delivering a picture with zero pixelation. Growth areas for TVs in the U.S. in 2021 include sets over 70-inches (3.3 million units, up 6% from 2020) and 8K Ultra High-Definition TVs (1.7 million units, up 300% from 2020) — reflective of a growing demand for high picture quality and screens that deliver almost better-than-life color and clarity.
At the all-digital CES® 2021, TV powerhouses including CTA members LG, Samsung and Sony showed off cutting-edge display tech. Lineups at CES 2021 included innovative Mini-LED backlights and full-array local dimming technology to produce optimal brightness while maintaining precise black levels to improve picture quality. As an additional benefit, MiniLED improves dynamic range, which makes movie-night — and video games — even more enjoyable.
Jumbo screens also made their mark at the show, with TCL announcing its first-ever TVs in the 85-inch class and Sony introducing a 100-inch screen, suitable for the detail available for the 4K UHD and 8K UHD resolution becoming more popular.
Manufacturers are also unveiling more NEXTGEN TV televisions, capable of delivering all the benefits of the new broadcast transmission now rolling out in TV markets across the country. NEXTGEN TV offers new ways for viewers to see, hear and interact with TV programming. CTA forecasts 800,000 NEXTGEN TV televisions will be sold in the U.S. this year, skyrocketing to 4 million in 2022.
Smart TVs support other entertainment systems and streaming platforms, securing TVs as a go-to investment for consumers as social distancing continues and making them perfect for all the cinematic production qualities of this year’s Oscar-nominated films right at home.
The Video Division of CTA leads public policy concerns, promotes new video technologies, and creates up-to-date consumer and retail education about video products.