so to finally comment here:
Sooner or later VR headsets will introduce the concept of foveated rendering rather than 8k-- think a 1080p display just for the center part of your eye, which tracks your eye saccades, then a second 1080p display for the periphery. Why? For all the reasons above-- I've seen estimates on pixel handling for VR and it goes to 8k*2 or more if you want to retain angular resolution.
Now for desktop displays I can see 8k, but not for images: high res helps text or lines. on a 30" display this allows for very precise letter spacing/kerning and nuanced typography even at small font sizes. When I moved to a 4k display (24"@192dpi) it wasn't for the color fidelity or contrast (which is often worse with smaller pixels/higher resolution) but text. Even though its calibrated I find the contrast lacking for dealing with color.
The consumer side of me, I can't see 8k performing for most content -- it starts to consume enormous bandwidth and storage for little benefit: At some point there will be limits to how much someone will pay for sustained bandwidth plus service. For me on a cheaper internet line, 1080p is the only thing that streams consistently well. Does 8k improve the writing or acting in "when harry met sally?"
Jeremy E
