A new version of HDMI is on the horizon— HDMI 2.2, reportedly featuring higher bandwidth and offering more “breathing room.”
Is something like 8K resolution really practical for the average living room? We’ll leave that decision up to you, the consumer. What’s certain (as reported, for example, here) is that the HDMI Forum plans to announce the new HDMI 2.2 standard on January 6. While details are still scarce, it’s known that this version will offer increased bandwidth. Exactly how much remains to be seen, but 8K enthusiasts are hopeful it will finally surpass the 8K@60Hz barrier in an uncompressed format. Additionally, the new standard will almost certainly require updated cables, as well as fully HDMI 2.2-capable hardware across all connected devices.
Given that this will likely involve significant hardware updates, it may take a few years before the standard becomes widely adopted.