The group behind the HDMI standard, HDMI Forum, says it will detail a new spec release at a press conference on January 6 that will allow for “a wide range of resolutions and higher refresh rates.” The new capabilities will be “supported by a new cable,” according to the HDMI Forum email to The edge announcing the presser.
The specification is likely to be HDMI 2.2, as VideoCardz grades. The Forum email also hints at this, noting that the HDMI License Administrator, represented by two of the event's scheduled speakers, is designated “to license Version 2.2 of the HDMI specification.”
HDMI 2.1, which has only received letter reviews since its introduction in 2017, supports 48Gbps bandwidth, variable refresh rates up to 120Hz, and resolutions up to 10240 x 4320. VideoCardz speculates that the updated specification could allow for higher resolutions and frame rates without the need for Display Stream Compression.
Whatever the specification, that mention of a new cable is a stark reminder that, like USB-C, not all HDMI cables are created equal. It seems unlikely that the HDMI Forum will change the port itself, so you'll probably be able to use the old ones with the updated specs, and some might even support their higher bandwidth. Still, there's always the chance that you'll need new cables to get all the new capabilities when the time comes.
