Nearly 50% of TVs shipped worldwide in 2018 are 4K UHD models, Futuresource reports-- meaning the TV format is set to hit the mainstream sooner, not later, reaching 37% global household penetration by 2022.

TV display purchases drive the 4K UHD segment, and although a content gap still exists, it is quickly being filled up. The amount of 4K UHD content has grown "significantly" during H1 2018, as is the number of broadcasts in the format. For instance, the February Winter Olympics were broadcast in 4K UHD thanks to the Olympic Broadcasting Services and Japanese broadcaster NHK. All FIFA World Cup matches were also shot in 4K UHD, before delivery via satellite, cable, IP and OTT.

Samsung follows on a recent collaboration in cross-device listening with Spotify with a similar deal putting the Tidal "high-fidelity" music streaming service on Samsung TVs.

Initially the deal involves a Samsung TV Tidal app, but the music service says this is "just the beginning of the partnership," with deeper integration expected in the near future. Available on Samsung TVs with Tizen 3.0 (ie 2017 and 2018 models), the app "prioritises Tidal visual content," with curated video playlists and concerts, as well as new releases, music videos and podcasts. A "My Collection" feature allows users to save and personalise content, and a search function comes as standard.

Samsung follows on the IFA 2018 debut of the Q900R 8K HDR QLED TV series with the announcement of a release window-- October 2018, with customers getting a choice of 65-, 75- and 85-inch models.

Described by the company as "the most advanced TV on the market," the Q900R promises to "to change the way we view content in our homes forever.” It is the first 8K resolution (7680 x 4320) TV to hit the general market and features QLED technology, essentially a means to add quantum dots to an LCD panel in order to enhance the colours and bring black levels to near OLED levels.

Further enhancing images are HDR 10+ technology, peak brightness reaching 4000 nits and various 8K-ready features with names such as Real 8K Resolution, Q HDR 8K and Quantum Processor 8K. The final feature is interesting, since it promises to upscale content from any source to "a level compatible with 8K regardless of the original source quality or format.” This should be useful, since native 8K resolution content is somewhat hard to come by, at least so far.

CEDIA 2018 sees Séura present the Shade Series-- an outdoor TV range combining elegant design with best-in-class picture quality, brightness and audio performance, with 4K UHD models in 55-, 65- and 75-inch sizes.

According to the company, indoor TVs are not suited for outdoor spaces, being unable to withstand heat, moisture and humidity extremes. Meanwhile current outdoor TVs made for shaded areas are not bright enough and lack the sound quality for larger spaces. Shade series TVs promise to withstand the toughest outdoor conditions, while delivering 25% more brightness and 2.5x the audio output compared to competing full-shade outdoor displays.

OnePlus founder and CEO Pete Lau makes a surprise announcement-- the company plans to make a TV offering "premium flagship design, image quality and audio," as well as the capability to "seamlessly connect the home."

TVs is a first for OnePlus, whose product offering consists solely of smartphones and a small selection of companion accessories. The announcement has little in terms of details for the actual TV, since the product is still at the earliest stages of production, but Lau does tell Business Insider the TV will offer seamless smartphone connectivity and AI smarts akin to the Amazon Echo and Google Home.

Samsung is not the only company with an 8K TV at IFA 2018-- rival LG is also in the game, with a stand housing an 88-inch 7680 x 4320 OLED set promising "unmatched contrast ratio and true blacks."

“LG’s first 8K OLED TV is the pinnacle of technological achievement and the next evolutionary step in display technology,” the company says. “4K OLED played a major role in reshaping TV industry and LG is confident that 8K OLED will do the same.”

The company had already presented an 8K TV at CES 2018, if in the form of a prototype shown only to select guests. The TV has 33 million light-emitting pixels (or x4 the amount of a UHD 4K set), and LG claims it offers brightness levels comparable to LCD backlights thanks to the addition of proprietary technologies.