Sony’s magnificent 4K high-definition is quite the achievement. However, it will take some time before it becomes a mainstream feature.
During the Consumer Electronics Show, Sony CEO Kaz Hirai spoke about the future of various Sony technologies, including the announcement of PlayStation Now. He also spoke about when 4K is expected to become commonplace among entertainment seekers. Right now, though, his company is only looking to grab very early adopters.
In speaking to The Verge, Hirai said Sony will undertake a process of slowly integrating 4K into the home. As for how long it will take before 4K becomes a household term, Hirai responded with:
“How long did HD take?”
That’s a valid point, of course, and he suggested that it’ll take five to seven years before we see the mainstream adoption of 4K resolution. That being said, Sony will actively target those aforementioned early adopters, primarily by showing them the difference between 1080p HD and 4K HD. Your local electronics retailer probably has one such example right now; check it out if you haven’t already.
How does the PlayStation 4 fit in?
Well, it doesn’t. Although Sony confirmed that their new game console is capable of displaying video in 4K resolution (i.e., movies), it will not support 4K games. There’s no way of knowing if developers will even be capable of producing games in 4K resolution this generation, and besides, even when they do, the cost of a 4K HDTV will still be somewhat prohibitive for most consumers.
Still, who doesn’t want to see something like Uncharted 5 in 4K HD…? I mean, holy crap.
