Ever watched a match and lost track of the ball just because you sat a few rows back? Switch the same big screen to ultra-high definition and the viewing experience goes up several notches. That's what a "Made in Guangdong" ultra-HD screen delivers.
Guangdong has built a full-fledged ultra-HD video industry cluster, with four hubs in Guangzhou, Huizhou, Zhongshan and Shenzhen working in tandem, led by Shenzhen. In 2025, the sector's revenue topped one trillion yuan, and the province secured the country's only national-level manufacturing innovation center in the ultra-HD field.
Guangdong-made ultra-HD screens are going global, installed in public spaces in cities across the Asia-Pacific and becoming part of everyday life there.
Take a World Cup match. The gap between a regular big screen and an ultra-HD one is far wider than you might expect. Zoom in on an ordinary screen and the picture blurs; sit further back and you can't even read the players' numbers. On an 8K ultra-HD screen, you can make out every blade of grass and the sweat on the players' faces.
It's not just about a sharper picture. Older big screens could only show a basic picture. Today's ultra-HD screens carry live sports broadcasts and commercial displays while boosting stadium atmosphere, all at once.
Shenzhen-based Absen built the 600-square-meter central LED funnel screen now hanging at a FIFA World Cup 2026 venue—the largest suspended screen there. Major international events such as the World Cup, the Olympics and the Asian Games are regularly staged at such venues, and the screen has performed flawlessly every time.
At the technology showcase of the Asia-Pacific Media Forum this September, media and tech representatives from APEC economies got a firsthand look at the latest innovations from Guangdong's ultra-HD video industry.
From sports stadiums to cultural showcases, Guangdong's ultra-HD screens have found their way into APEC economies, lighting up big events across the Asia-Pacific. Having gone from follower to frontrunner, Guangdong's ultra-HD industry is using Chinese technology to bring a whole new viewing experience to the region.
Authors | Li Qian, Guan Xiruyi, Chen Rongwei, Gong Chunhui
Revisors | Liu Lingzhi, Wei Shen, Huang Qini
