If you follow web design news, IT technologies, or the mobile industry even a little, you can't help but notice Apple’s zeal to make 4K video mainstream this year. But why? Why so suddenly? In the fall of 2017, the company made two interesting announcements regarding 4K video. And while it might seem unrelated to web design and creativity — it actually is. It's important.

In many countries, Apple started offering 4K HDR content on iTunes in the fall. Accordingly, Apple TV received an update to support high dynamic range (HDR) and 4K format. Yes, at the same time as platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube already support 4K streaming (usually for movies and shows), now SMART TVs support 4K playback for virtually everything.

But that’s not all.

The fact is, many current and upcoming laptops, tablets, and some smartphones will have screens capable of displaying 4K resolution, meaning consumers will want access to high-quality content in ultra-high definition.

We already discussed 4K video in web design this summer, but back then, it was just starting to spread across the internet. Now, thanks to Apple’s efforts, the influence of high resolution will grow, and many industries and areas of human activity won’t be able to ignore its presence. In this article, we’ll look at what this means for designers, webmasters, and creative agencies in 2018, and what web designers are already creating.

New Standard – 4K

Imagine choosing which small video clip to place on your homepage background. Which would you prefer: 360p, 1080p, or 4K? The simplest answer might be the smallest file size. Partly true. But if a user opens the site on a PC or laptop, seeing a pixelated video isn't appealing. So, the page code should be adjusted to load the video appropriate for the user's screen resolution. In that case, 4K shouldn't be overlooked — especially with countless free-licensed video clips and footage available on platforms like YouTube. Examples: Microsoft Surface Taiwan, Jonathan Radford

Although many of us have just gotten used to HD (at least from a consumer's point of view), 4K is set to become the new norm for video in 2018 — especially in movies, TV shows, advertising, and social media campaigns. Moreover, the younger generation can already shoot their own 4K videos using smartphones or action cams, producing content that rivals professional work.

The growing popularity of 4K will now offer the public crystal-clear images on large screens, even though the industry has long been invested in and utilizing the technology. At the IFA exhibition, Samsung showcased famous artworks in 4K resolution. Meanwhile, McCann and Framestore presented a VR trip to Mars using Unreal Engine 4. Watch the video below. It was streamed on special 84-inch displays.


Outdoor advertising is also keeping up with new standards. On London’s iconic Piccadilly Circus, a new 790 m2 4K screen was installed, displaying real-time streaming video and social media clips. Following this,  JCDecaux announced it would upgrade all its digital billboards across the UK to 4K versions.

Now let’s move on to a more specific area – the internet and web design.

4K for Social Media and Web Design

Over the past few years, Twitter and Facebook have also contributed greatly to the promotion of 4K video and enabling social media users to work with it. In 2016, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey planned to stream NFL games (and even won the rights), though he lost them in spring 2017. At the same time, Facebook launched its Facebook Live platform, offering high-resolution exclusives from media partners. In summer 2017, it became possible to watch live-streams in 3600 and 4K formats.

As a result, Facebook and Twitter began challenging the dominance of Amazon and Netflix. More creative and technical innovations are expected from all players in 2018.

Websites Are Getting Ready

As more people access websites on 4K resolution screens — from smartphones and laptops to SMART TVs — web designers must ensure that their projects are optimized for such large screens.

This is a basic web design principle — a responsibility to oneself and to future users. For example, using vector graphics wherever possible is already a best practice. But there are other aspects to consider when designing for high resolutions.

We've touched on this in our previous articles. To recap: images should come in multiple sizes; avoid JPEG, GIF, and PNG where possible, and focus on SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics).

As for video, if a 4K original is available — don't discard it. It’s similar to using WEBp/WEBm image formats: the browser loads the best supported option. Likewise, video can load based on screen resolution, saving on internet traffic.

Check out bellroy, wonderfullywild, oxenmade, coffeetimescoffee, turnefferesort, norebro, Charly Zenger, Basis - Berlin Real Estate, M&C SAATCHI.GAD. Each supports high-resolution video, though it’s hard to notice unless you have a large screen. You can use resources to simulate larger resolutions. For example, in Opera, right-click → “Inspect Element,” then edit the mobile device preview and input a custom resolution (3840x2160). This helps check support for 4K. Many sites store large videos in WebM and convert to MP4 if needed.

Marketing Seeks Creativity

4K video may become the norm in many areas for the general public, already accustomed to 1080p. Surprising? Let’s recall the transition from VHS to DVD — that was revolutionary. But the move from HD to 4K is evolutionary instead, and that’s why selling and promoting this (yes, very expensive) technology demands enormous amounts of creativity, imagination, and inspiration.

A great example can be seen in the Xbox One X commercial presented at E3 in 2017. The video itself was released in several resolutions, although the difference between 1080p and 4K may not be immediately noticeable. Typically, the opposite is true: low-res videos look worse on large screens due to pixelation.


This smoothly leads us to an important point in web design: when is using 4K video appropriate? If the client aims for technological sophistication, then yes, absolutely. If they agree with the designer’s vision of using 4K — then designers will need to find suitable clips and implement them.

But if the client is satisfied with Full HD, there's no need to get upset that you (as the designer) weren’t allowed to implement something groundbreaking. There are other projects and themes where 4K is not just desirable — it’s essential. We’re talking about the gaming industry and related technologies. 4K gaming on PCs is already the norm, though it does require a powerful machine with the latest graphics cards like Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-series or AMD Radeon RX Vega.

In the current year, 4K will expand its presence in the gaming world and gradually take over consoles, making it easier to watch 4K videos even through a console.

In November, Sony launched the PS4 Pro with 4K support. However, it’s not “true” 4K, so to speak. Interestingly, the company opted for “smart” upscaling to 4K sizes. True 4K was implemented only by Microsoft in the Xbox One X — although many well-known companies questioned its authenticity. And that brings us back to our earlier point: marketing needs creativity to promote and sell this technology.

And Finally…

Whether 4K video is already hugely popular or just gaining traction — one thing is clear: it’s here to stay. If not to replace Full HD entirely, then certainly to coexist alongside it. One thing is certain — web design and art can’t remain indifferent to the trend. As virtual museum tours and content-driven websites become more common, high-quality, high-resolution video will become increasingly in demand. The kind of video that captivates the eye and immerses the viewer into the on-screen atmosphere.

Previously, we talked about the general relevance of 4K video in web design. Now, we hope we’ve shed some light on how much its popularity has grown over the past six months — and how it will continue to grow this year. That only means that sooner or later, it too will become a trend, just like full-screen or full-width 720/1080 videos did. Right now, 4K video isn’t a must-have for every web designer — but its moment is coming. Maybe not 100% essential, but definitely expected and appreciated by users and clients alike.