YouTube is TV and radio: YouTube CEO Neal Mohan says the TV has overtaken mobile as the “primary device for YouTube viewing in the US”, indicating YouTube is “the new TV”. YouTube AI updates include auto dubbing expansion, age ID tech, and more. YouTube is also big in podcasting. More than 1 billion people are now watching podcasts on YouTube every month, so YouTube is forcing podcasters to become YouTubers, whether they like it or not.
TV market: Chinese makers have now pretty much taken over the global LCD TV market, as Chinese manufacturers of LCD TV panels, such as BOE, TCL CSOT and HKC, now control over 70% of global production capacity, up from 65% last year. LG Display officially sells off last LCD TV panel factory. Following Samsung Display, LG Display has officially sold its last remaining LCD TV panel factory to China’s TCL, marking the end of an era for LCD TV panel production in South Korea.
Projectors: Advancements in laser and LED projection are set to enhance brightness and color accuracy. While 4K is already a standard for premium projectors, 2025 could see 8K projectors enter the mainstream. By 2025, expect to see more ultra-portable projectors featuring foldable designs, integrated stands, and improved battery life. The rise of smart projectors equipped with built-in operating systems like Android TV and compatibility with popular streaming apps is expected. Time-of-Flight (ToF) technology and AI are set to revolutionize projector usability. Features like real-time autofocus, automatic keystone correction, and obstacle avoidance will start to become standard. LG’s latest projector is also a lamp and a Bluetooth speaker – and there’s a tiny new 4K projector too.
Camera sensors: Canon pushes the limits of 35mm with record 410-megapixel sensor 24,592 x 16,704 pixels. Canon develops CMOS sensor with 410 megapixels, the largest number of pixels ever achieved in a 35 mm full-frame sensor. Omnivision’s latest OV50X image sensor wot 50MP resolution is of the largest (~1 inch) type that can currently be integrated into a smartphone.
HDMI: HDMI 2.2 officially revealed at CES 2025. HDMI 2.2 can support up to 96Gbps bandwidth and 16K resolution. HDMI 2.2 is said to support a multitude of resolutions including 4K, 8K, 10K, 12K and even 16K, the latter two of which are new for HDMI 2.2. It will also have improved bandwidth, reaching 96gbps compared with HDMI 2.1′s 48gbps and DisplayPort’s 80gbps. HDMI 2.2 will also support 4K at 480Hz. HDMI also confirmed that the Ultra96 HDMI cable, which supports 96gbps and HDMI 2.2 features, will be available later in 2025. The first product supporting HDMI 2.2 are expected in first half of 2025.
GPMI: China launches HDMI and DisplayPort alternative called GPMI. China’s tech industry is pushing a new cable format called GPMI. It is to handle video, power, and data at once. New 480W and 192Gbps GPMI format signals China’s broader move beyond USB-C and western cable standards. There is a group of over 50 Chinese tech companies – including major TV makers like TCL, Hisense, and Skyworth – have come together to launch a new connector standard called GPMI (General Purpose Media Interface), so there is a possibility that it catches support in at least Chinese market. There are two versions: GPMI Type-C and GPMI Type-B. The Type-C version looks and works a lot like USB-C and already supports up to 96Gbps of data and 240W charging. The Type-C version of GPMI has already been licensed for use under the USB-IF (USB Implementers Forum), so it should be compatible with existing USB-C ports. The larger Type-B port can push up to 192Gbps and 480W. Existing competing standards are HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps with no power delivery) and DisplayPort 2.1 (80Gbps with up to 240W power). I don’t expect HDMI to go away any time soon in the light of GPMI.
Beyond RGB: A new compression format called Spectral JPEG XL might finally solve this growing problem in scientific visualization and computer graphics when working with special cameras that capture light your eyes can’t even see. Spectral imaging is imaging that uses multiple bands across the electromagnetic spectrum. Spectral JPEG XL compression is a new image file format that efficiently stores invisible light data. JPEG XL Image Coding System is a royalty-free open standard for a compressed raster image format that compresses extremely well (lossless, if you want) and, unlike JPEG, also allows storage of 16 bit (even up to 32 bit) image files. Major operating systems, web browsers, and image editing software are increasingly adopting support for this efficient compression technology.
Physical media: Physical Media Is Dead, Long Live Physical Media. Much has been written about the demise of physical media that was long considered the measure of technological progress in audiovisual and computing fields. Not all is well in this digital-only paradise, as the problems with having no physical copy of the item which you purportedly purchased are becoming increasingly more evident – increased service costs, privacy, items being removed or altered without your consent. Our movies, series, books, games and software will be more and more locked behind what are essentially leasing services. Off-line, physical media is once again increasing in appeal to a lot of users. The death and second life of physical media. All of which points to that the physical formats of the future will likely remain CDs, Blu-rays and even vinyl records and cassette tapes as the most popular formats. Digital media-as-a-service will not go away, as it has too many advantages. Especially in terms of low distribution cost.
The early 2000s were the halcyon days of physical media, but they are still here. One of the unexpected things to happen in the music industry is how an obsolete formats have came to be the great saviour of the music industry. Vinyl records, once consigned to the rubbish dumps, have become the format of choice among audiophiles and hipsters alike. Cassette tapes are also having a resurgence among some music fans. Why Are Cassette And CD Players So Big Now?
CD: Despite the ease and accessibility of apps like Spotify and Apple Music, over the past few years we’ve seen the humble CD make something of a comeback. CD outsells vinyl. There are several Reasons Why CDs Still Rule Over Streaming. But some of the new CDs are not everywhere like they used to. Your new CDs could be lighter, weaker, and worse. Certainly in Europe there has been no noticeable drop in disc manufacture quality. Also Everyone Thought the Loudness War Was Over, but They Were Dead Wrong
Cassette: Cassette tapes are clicking and clacking their way back to the trends. It’s Not Just Vinyl and CDs; Cassette Tapes Are Also Making a Quiet Comeback
Blue-Ray: Sony is killing off its blank Blu-ray discs. This effectively could mean that Sony discontinues recordable Blu-ray media with “no successor” planned. After 18 years, Sony’s recordable Blu-ray media production draws to a close. The company already ended the production of recordable consumer Blu-ray and optical disks in mid-2024. Verbatim and I-O Data have pledged to continue to support the recordable optical media market. Verbatim pledges ‘stable supply of optical disks’ after Sony Japan’s recordable Blu-ray exit. Also the pre-recorded Blue-Ray is fading out. Sony is also stopping to include Blue-Ray drive to their newest PS5 Pro gaming console because the popularity of physical disks have dropped.
Minidisc:MiniDiscs for recording, MD data for recording, and MiniDV cassettes will also be abandoned. Sony shuttered its last Japanese facility where it manufactured these data storage media.
Piracy: If you think streaming has killed music piracy, think again. Despite having more legal options than ever, fans are increasingly turning to illegal downloads and stream-ripping sites. Music piracy surged in 2024, with over 17 billion visits to piracy sites. The most used of which are stream-ripping sites, especially those that convert YouTube videos to MP3 files, which now make up almost 40% of all music piracy. This is not just about avoiding payment. It’s more about the users’ frustrations with a system that doesn’t meet their needs. Millions of Users Are Returning to Music Piracy and the Industry Only Has Itself to Blame.
MP3: Freed At Last From Patents, Does Anyone Still Care About MP3? The MP3 format, once the gold standard for digital audio files, is now free. The licensing and patents on MP3 encoders have expired, meaning you can now include them in your applications without paying royalties. The MP3 file format was always encumbered with patents, but as of 2017, the last patent finally expired. Although the format became synonymous with the digital music revolution that started in the late 90s, as an audio compression format there is an argument to be made that it has long since been superseded by better formats and other changes. The reality is that MP3, while still relevant in certain niche areas.
Wired headphones: The Headphone Jack Is Quietly Making a Comeback Nearly a Decade After Apple Tried to Kill It. Nine years after Apple boldly declared the death of the headphone jack, an unexpected shift is taking place in the tech world. There is still development n headphone tech: Unconventional headphones: Sonic response consistency, albeit cosmetically ungainly
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Blackmagic Design says tariffs have made camera price hikes ‘unavoidable’The impact on Blackmagic’s supply chain has also made US production financially unviable.
https://www.theverge.com/news/649225/blackmagic-design-trump-us-tariffs-price-hike?fbclid=IwY2xjawJsu7pleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHvGFHSPSbaZucyRIFF_23fxJ_JA55OoHqYInSq3wPwbwM6fsxXSVKSUoPXTq_aem_BJRdnfTWpYQWyKIh2slsdw
Tomi Engdahl says:
Reuters:
Deezer says ~18% of songs uploaded to the service are AI-generated; 20K AI-generated songs are uploaded daily, nearly twice the number reported four months ago
AI-generated music accounts for 18% of all tracks uploaded to Deezer
https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/ai-generated-music-accounts-18-all-tracks-uploaded-deezer-2025-04-16/
Tomi Engdahl says:
PSA: You’re Paying 24% More for Vinyl Because Labels Know You’ll Take the Bait
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/04/paying-vinyl-labels-bait/
Tomi Engdahl says:
“Traditionally, only big-budget projects would have access to things like advanced visual effects, such as de-aging,” the Netflix chief said about AI’s potential in movie production.
Netflix chief Ted Sarandos says AI can make movies ’10% better’
https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-ted-sarandos-james-camerson-ai-makes-movies-better-cheaper-2025-4?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=insider-sf&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR6gAgUwo-MnrnFYO19BW-d7EkHgQT30sOIan_BxpsnX7xFWxvSSE7zeyTdY4w_aem_umbAdj-RB5ficdQk22HTyw
“There’s a ton of excitement about what AI can do for content creators,” Sarandos said on a Q1 earnings call when asked about how “meaningful” AI could be. “I read the article too, what Jim Cameron said about making movies 50% cheaper. I remain convinced that there’s an even bigger opportunity if you can make movies 10% better.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/01/streaming-payouts-hit-new-low-artists-earn/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJvW6FleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpXcIx2hToSTGM4IvT_3viTFQjtlwq1Wy4OAGO0rGm86U7lMl46S6L7lpPcf_aem_Wb4zPTsvPpPtU6WiJHeEng
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/01/streaming-killed-genres-music-eras/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/the-return-of-dumb-things-why-young-people-are-ditching-their-smartphones-for-mp3-players-and-digital-cameras-103012025.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/03/audiophiles-keep-failing-test-end-amplifier-debate/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Korg synthesizers
All success stories
Electronic music icon creates compelling sounds with a powerful Raspberry Pi Compute Module
https://www.raspberrypi.com/success-stories/korg-synthesizers/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Thousands of jobs at risk in Hollywood as studios pivot production elsewhere
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7jekjegDcME
Tomi Engdahl says:
CDs are crushing streaming, vinyl, and tapes in the one way that really matters: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/04/cds-flacs-crushing-streaming-vinyl-tapes/