"In one short year after the launch of the HDMI 2.1 specification, consumer electronics companies have launched innovative products improving the gaming experience, 8K displays and cinema quality audio for the home theater," said Rob Tobias, CEO and President of HDMI LA. "Because of the ongoing evolution of the HDMI interface, HDMI technology continues to be the universal interface for consumer electronics products."

HDMI LA also reports that almost 1 billion HDMI-enabled devices are projected to ship in 2019, amounting to eight billion devices shipping since the release of the first HDMI specification in 2002.

Following the release of the HDMI 2.1 specification, manufacturers are working on bringing new innovative products to market featuring the specification's new features.

"The launch of the HDMI 2.1 Specification enables manufacturers to bring more immersive and dynamic experiences to consumers, and I invite everyone to come by the booth to see the demos," said Robert Blanchard of Sony Electronics, president of the HDMI Forum. "This is a time when the 94 Forum Member companies can celebrate the successful release and implementation of the specification that they worked so hard to deliver."

The HDMI 2.1 features including:

• Ultimate home theater with UHD 8K TV, high bitrate audio from Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) and demonstrating 48G Ultra High Speed Bandwidth

• Enhanced gaming with a game console and 4K TV supporting Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) for smooth lag-free and fluid gameplay

• Dynamic HDR 4K TV supporting high bitrate color and Rec. 2020 with wider color gamut picture

• Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable prototypes from multiple manufacturers supporting 48G bandwidth