Ok so semantics perhaps. 16x the number of pixels - depends on how you want to describe "resolution." One common definition is the amount of detail that the image holds, in which case, 8k is 16x the resolution of 1080.

You are missing something, it is 16x the resolution. 4k is 8x the resolution.

As they did with cableCARDs?

Excellent point! The FCC has proposed a replacement for the CableCARD standard that would address this issue specifically (allvid)

New invention idea - "Dial-a-resolution" feature for your remote control! Not liking what you're seeing? Fuzz it up until the balance between reality and your imagination hits the sweet spot.

It seems inevitable doesn't it? They are all just displays in the end, some are bigger, some are smaller, some have different aspect ratios, etc. What matters are the use cases.

If that's what the customer wants! That will probably change soon though

I should temper my statement a little. Live television is almost always produced at 720p rather than 1080. The penetration is higher in non-live production.

sure, some shows are, but most shows are not. Interestingly enough, recording something at 1080p and then down-converting it to 720 usually yields a superior product to shooting in 720 naively.

Remember that computer monitors are typically much smaller than televisions. Making a 50" 1080p display is a lot easier than making an 8" display of the same resolution. There are companies out there who are making 4k consumer displays, none of them are very small.

Higher resolution content will look better on your new 90"+ TV

Most of them can provide you with full HD, but the content typically is not being produced at full HD anyway (for regular television) and people seem to be giddy for lots of channels and internet bandwidth so they trade off quality for quantity. When some channels get eliminated you will get both higher internet bandwidth and higher quality video.

Why not rotate your monitor to be portrait rather than landscape?

Some providers are much better than others at not ruining the signals. You should switch!

Or less channels - most of the linear channels out there are carrying nothing but pre-recorded content which could be delivered over IP rather than QAM in a much more satisfying experience for the average TV watcher. Ditch a couple dozen of those things and you can open up the spectrum for higher bandwidth video real quick.