HDMI 2.2 in two stages: 96 Gbps support is likely coming later

The first devices with HDMI 2.2 may reach the market as early as this year, but they probably will not offer full 96 Gbps support. HDMI Licensing chief Rob Tobias said this at Computex in Taipei. According to him, the rollout of the new standard will effectively happen in two stages.

In the first stage, manufacturers will release certified HDMI 2.2 devices with LIP support, the latency indication protocol. It is meant to improve audio and video synchronization between TVs, receivers, and soundbars. That is an important update, but it is more about software and protocol handling than a jump to the new maximum data rate.

The main part of HDMI 2.2, bandwidth of up to 96 Gbps, will arrive later. It needs new FRL2 transmitter chips, and their development is what is pushing the timeline back. Tobias says samples of those chips are expected to reach manufacturers this year, while the first devices with full 96 Gbps support should arrive in 2027.

The HDMI 2.2 standard was introduced in 2025 and doubles the maximum bandwidth compared with HDMI 2.1. In its full configuration, it is designed for modes up to 4K@480Hz, 8K@240Hz, 12K@120Hz, and 16K@60Hz. Support for 10-bit and 12-bit HDR content is also claimed, including uncompressed video at 4K@240Hz and 8K@60Hz.

The HDMI connector shape will not change, which should make compatibility with existing hardware easier. But full 96 Gbps speed will require a new Ultra96 cable. Representatives of the standard say these cables may appear before the first truly full-featured HDMI 2.2 TVs, monitors, and graphics cards.

So buyers should look not only at the HDMI 2.2 logo, but also at the exact specifications of a device. In the near future, products under this label may ship with only some new features, while real hardware with the standard’s maximum bandwidth will start appearing more widely only after FRL2 chips are ready.