Panasonic and Sony will partner with Japanese broadcaster NHK and others to develop technology for televisions capable of handling 8K video, building a Japanese alliance that will be competing with South Korean heavyweigths. Panasonic and Sony plan to focus on high-value-added products such as 8K TVs.

Such 8K video boasts four times the resolution of 4K allowing for realistic graphics even on large screens. Japan plans to begin full-scale 8K broadcasting as early as 2018. Panasonic and Sony will seek to bring other Japanese businesses on board, splitting the burden of development costs.

NHK will oversee efforts to ensure high-quality broadcasts and develop related standards. The team will work on the required data compression and sound technology as well. Socionext, a chip company formed from the merger of the system large-scale integration businesses of Fujitsu and Panasonic, is expected to help develop processors.

Sony plans to roll out 8K-compatible TVs in 2020. Though Panasonic did not give a specific date, the company will aim for a launch in time to capitalize on TV purchases made ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.