When CES 2025 approaches in just a few weeks, we are on the verge of uncovering all the details regarding the forthcoming HDMI specification. According to the HDMI Forum, this new specification will demand a novel type of HDMI cable. In a joint email sent to journalists last week, the HDMI Forum, responsible for developing new HDMI specifications, and the HDMI Licensing Administrator, which licenses these specs to manufacturers, announced that the next HDMI specification will be unveiled on January 6. It will bring with it higher bandwidth, resolutions, and refresh rates, enabling "higher quality options now and in the future for content producers such as TV, movie, and game studios, while enabling multiple distribution platforms."

Implications for TV Owners

When it comes to TV owners, a common concern is whether this announcement will render their existing gear obsolete or if they need to invest in new cables. For the foreseeable future, the answer is no. Even without knowing the full details of HDMI 2.2, if your TV is a 4K model (which is the case for the vast majority of TVs), the existing HDMI 2.1 specification is more than capable of delivering uncompressed 4K content along with dynamic HDR and lossless surround sound formats like Dolby Atmos in Dolby TrueHD. With up to 48Gbps of bandwidth, we have not come across any 4K content that cannot be transmitted using an Ultra High Speed certified HDMI cable. This includes gaming content from consoles with variable refresh rates of up to 120Hz and support for source-based tone mapping (under HDMI 2.1a). In other words, if your 4K TV can display it on the screen or play it through its speakers or a soundbar, HDMI 2.1 already meets your needs now and in the future.However, for those with 8K TVs, the situation is different. Today, there is hardly any native 8K content, and most of the existing 8K content uses a maximum refresh rate of 60Hz. These specs are already supported by HDMI 2.1, so 8K TV owners are not likely to need HDMI 2.2 anytime soon.

Benefits for Hardware and Software Developers

Currently, HDMI 2.2 mainly benefits hardware and software developers. The resolutions and refresh rates that the new spec and cable will support are not being used by content creators and are not supported by source hardware like consoles, PCs, or streaming devices. In time, once developers have had a chance to explore HDMI 2.2's new capabilities and manufacturers have integrated the new spec into their hardware roadmaps, a new content and device ecosystem will emerge. At that time, if you want to experience the new features enabled by HDMI 2.2, you may need to consider purchasing new gear (and new cables).For now, TV owners can rest easy. HDMI 2.2 is on the horizon, but your existing equipment does not require it.