LG Display Claims Apple Will Release the 'iMac 8K' Later This Year

[MacRumors]

While it could be a factual error, Reddit points us towards an interesting comment on the LG Display blog last week that claims Apple announced it will release a new iMac with 8K display later this year. Apple, of course, has not made any announcements about a new iMac since last year, and 8K displays are not expected until 2016.

"It has become clear that Japan is planning to launch an 8K SHV test broadcast and then promptly restructure the UHD service. Apple has also announced that they will release the 'iMac 8K' with a super-high resolution display later this year. Korea is also preparing to offer an 8K service demonstration at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. LG Display displayed a new beacon of the 8K era by revealing their 98-inch 8K Color Prime Ultra HDTV at CES 2015."

VESA's new DisplayPort 1.4a standard paves the way for future displays at 7,680 x 4,320 pixels, but Apple has not made any announcements about releasing a Mac with an 8K display. Apple's highest-resolution Mac is the iMac with Retina 5K Display, which has a resolution of 5,120 x 2,880 pixels.

While this report should be treated lightly until further information surfaces, it still proves interesting that LG Display would make a public-facing comment like this on its website. The most likely scenario is that LG will eventually remove or modify the comment now that it has been put in the spotlight.

Update 7:00 PM PT: LG has since taken down the article mentioning the "iMac 8K."

Article Link: LG Display Claims Apple Will Release the 'iMac 8K' Later This Year

 

[flashy-cat]

Wow, still watching PAL dvds here

 

[MacDarcy]

8K? You can't even use the new 4K as an external monitor with your MacBooks yet! They haven't even updated the Cinema Display to 4k yet! And the upcoming Apple TV won't even have 4k streaming yet. wtf? Let technology catch up Alittle first apple. Sheesh!

 

[cheesyappleuser]

That sounds sketchy.

 

[spyguy10709]

I somehow doubt this. Firstly, how would it be feasible? In addition, I'm not sure that LG has a track record of reporting what Apple will do...

I know they're a major part supplier, but why would LG violate Apple's trust like this? It doesn't make much sense to me at all.

 

[zachlegomaniac]

I hope this is true. 4k just looks like garbage to the eyes at this point.

 

[MH01]

8K, I very much doubt that we will see that in an imac soon

 

[AQUADock]

I hope this is true. 4k just looks like garbage to the eyes at this point.

/S right?

 

[MH01]

I hope this is true. 4k just looks like garbage to the eyes at this point.

8K will only be okayish.......

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Bet you $100 we see no iMac 8K for 4 years at least.

 

[pipa]

And this is exactly why I have not made a move to purchase a new tv. I purchased a 55in samsung d8000 in may 2011 and since last year I've been contiplating upgrading but with all this talk of 4k and 8k I just dont want to purchase something that wont be a standard. Also I was kinda hoping apple would step in the ring. But my samsung is still going strong and picture looks amazing so Ill hold out.

I know the thread is for a pc monitor but the same applies for the tv market.

 

[5097842]

Seems more likely to be a 32"+ external 8k display for the next gen Mac Pro. (obviously pure speculation on my part)

 

[Apple fanboy]

8K? You can't even use the new 4K as an external monitor with your MacBooks yet! They haven't even updated the Cinema Display to 4k yet! wtf?

They might never update the Thunderbolt display. It's such a niche product these days, they can hardly be bothered with the R&D.

As for 8K what graphics card will they be using in an iMac to drive it? Sounds like a resource hogger to me, and what about content. Finding decent 4K content is hard enough, but 8K? At what point does it make no difference but to a few eagle eyed users?
I'd rather they concentrated on a wider more constant colour gamut with a matt screen than more pixels.

 

[rei101]

8K?

1. I have been doing a render of 3 minutes for 2 days of only polygons in HD. Forget about do it for 5K and unrealistic to do it for 8K.

2. You can have a 60 inches TV, but from the distance of your couch, you eye will not tell the difference between HD or 4K just because our eyes does not have that resolution from that distance, we are not eagles. Forget about 8K.

3. You may have 4K TV with a 4K signal from your cable operator, but the compression will give you an equivalent to HD from your Bluray Disc.

4. The only reason they are increasing resolution is for you to replace your computers and TVs, other wise factories would have to close because we do not need such resolutions in our day to day, people are having a blast watching Youtube videos and Vines, what mater is the message of the content, not the resolution of it.

 

[Nick A]

Can we at-least wait until mobile GPUs (or desktop even) can properly drive 4K displays?

 

[ValSalva]

Assuming this has some possibility of being true, which it almost certainly doesn't, the big question is: why? Isn't 5K enough? At least for now? Apple released it only six months ago and it's well, kinda pricey.

 

[mdridwan47]

Nah, I'll skip it. 16K is where it's at.

 

[sshambles]

'Yeah sure, and monkeys might fly out of my butt' -


Wayne Campbell

 

[PhiLLoW]

Looks like 4k is the new 720p.


GPUs will have huge problems to push all those pixels though...

 

[foobarbaz]

If they keep the same density as the iMac 5K, that resolution would be enough for a 40 inch Retina iMac.

If they keep the same size as the iMac 5K, that resolution would be enough to run everything at 3x (i.e. "Retina HD").

 

[gnasher729]

Bet you $100 we see no iMac 8K for 4 years at least.

You might be right, but for four years I wouldn't bet. I _would_ bet against "iMac 8K later this year".

Still, the 8K device mentioned was a 98" TV. 3.6 times wider and 3.6 times higher than a 27" screen. I'm not sure whether 8K vs. 5K on the same 27" screen would actually give you any advantage.

 

[mazz0]

I hear Apple have also announced the Apple Watch 2 will be out for Christmas this year in Quad HD.

 

[Malus120]

Hmmmm. As someone who owns a 5K iMac I really can't (literally) see any benefit to the consumer or Apple for moving from 5K to 8K.... at 27 inches.

Now, if Apple could shrink or eliminate the bezels/chin on the current design to create, say a 30-32 inch iMac, this would make a lot more sense. Even still, given the graphics card (and heat) limitations the all in one form factor imposes on the iMac, I really don't think this is something Apple would want to attempt at this point and time.

A brand new 32" 8K Cinema display to go with some new Mac Pro's on the other hand, makes quite a good bit of sense, so there may be some truth here after all... Time will tell.

 

[appleguy123]

I can just imagine Phil saying "you can now watch 1080p video, with pixel for pixel clarity, in Finder thumbnails."

 

[MacGizmo]

iMac 8K - for people who like 2x2 pixel icons, and app GUIs so tiny they virtually disappear.