4K Technology: Future Of Television and A Challenge For the Web Developers

The next evolution that has kept the web designers and developers on their toes is almost upon us. However, this innovation does not come from the computer industry, but surprisingly it comes from the television industry. Yes, we are talking about the 4K resolution or 4K UHD.

What is 4K?

If you are still unaware of this latest development in the field of technology, let me first define it for you. 4K denotes ultra-high resolution display having a horizontal resolution of 4,000 pixels. It is approximately 4 times the resolution of 1080 pixel Blu-ray content. 4K resolution offers a sharper, crisper image to the viewer with a high level of details.

A 4K display contains two resolutions:

4096×2160 – Supported by projectors

3840×2160 – Supported by monitors and televisions

Some Facts From The Past

Since their existence, computer screens have been associated with the television standards. Computer monitors and television screens were believed to be same in the beginning. Earlier, desktops used TV screens to display text and graphics. During that time when computer technology was developing at a fast pace, televisions were slow in catching up with them.

But now is the time for the television industry to make a leap. 4K resolution TVs are available in the market and are preferred by a majority of the populace. With the new technology emerging in the TV industry, computers are not far behind. Web designers and developers are taking their step forward to design websites that work perfectly on the screens with 4K resolution.

What’s About All The Hype Around 4K?

Watching a TV with 4K resolution will be an amazing experience as you will be able to see every single detail in a crystal clear manner. With so much depth and detail in every picture, you will feel like watching a 3D TV without the help of special glasses. 4K resolution TVs come with big screens because to appreciate the high quality of the images, you need to watch it on big screens as small screens do not offer the same experience. So if you want to enjoy a better picture quality, choose 4K resolution televisions.

Scarcity Of Native Content

As for now, there is a dearth of native 4K content. While Japan and some European countries receive 4K content, a majority of it is only available online. A large number of Hollywood movies are coming up in the 4K resolution to help people enjoy their movie time in a better manner. Moreover, the content is likely to be available in other parts of the world in a short period of time.

The Future Is Here

The future of TV viewing is here. You can easily watch clearer and sharper images without changing the way how you enjoy watching 3D movies. New technology is emerging, but it may still take a lot of time to get that crystal clear picture in your home. With the limitations of the available content, people still think twice about their decision of buying the 4K resolution TV.

4K and Web Developers

Web developers have made the leap toward 4K technology. They are using the 39” screen to present a variety of information. However, the topic of concern in that how will 4K affect web pages in the coming time.

With the responsive design becoming a necessity more than ever, the website must be developed to take advantage of the 27” screen. Ultra high definition televisions have become smart and come with built-in browsers. Therefore, now the designers are required to craft a website that easily adjusts according to the screen when the browser is 4000 pixels across.

While an average web page is approximately 2 MB in size, increasing the page size to 8 MB will not be a solution. With the coming of 4K technology, web developers have to think smart.

Vector graphics can easily adjust to the resolution changes, thus using them to design a website for 4K resolution or higher displays would be the right decision. So, remember to use scalable vector graphics whenever possible.

Web designers and developers need to test the website on as many platforms as possible to make sure that it is being displayed properly. By knowing how the content will be displayed, will give the designers a fair idea to deliver the best to your customers.

For years now, designers have been preparing for the HD web. Using CSS3 with different properties to render UI elements works in a similar manner as graphic vectors do. CSS displays a smooth and crisp image as they are completely independent of the resolution.

When it comes to 4K resolution, no vector based alternatives are present to make sure that the photos are crystal clear. However, developers are trying to use simpler versions of the HTML to define the height and the width to 200×300 pixels.

With the emerging trends, there are still many questions that remained unanswered. While this technology is already in use in the television industry, it may still take some time to cover the web design and development industry.

So, it can be said that as the 4K resolution target large screens, it is the last hurdle for resolution independence. This technology is soon going to be adopted by the people. Over the next 5 years, 4K resolution will become as ubiquitous as 1080p HD. This is something new in the web design and development field, but it will definitely prove to be a boon for the designers and developers.

Did you ever have an experience using high resolution apps? What did you learn during the process? Did you like sharper images with 4K resolution? Do not forget to share your answer below!!