T&A: Nikkei’s Tech-On released a story on what’s coming up for HDMI sometime this year. High-Definition Multimedia Interface, or HDMI, is an indispensable cable connection that transmits uncompressed HD video and audio from sources like Blu-ray Disc players, current high-end gaming consoles and high-definition media centers/PCs to HD screens with just one cable.

According to the story, the HDMI Licensing LLC of US (they who decide on the HDMI specs) will be introducing the next form of HDMI connectors sometime in H1 of 2009. These connectors will serve two purposes - new applications and new functions.

HDMI cables today - expect them to change in form and function sometime this year.

For new applications, you will see HDMI connectors appearing for mobile phones and car navigation systems. Basically watching and listening to HDTV-like images on portable devices. This also means a refresh of the current Type C Ver 1.3a HDMI connectors (seen on camcorders), so that they fit better on phones and digicams.

For new functions, HDMI will move into three new areas - support for 4096 x 2160 pixels (4K x 2K) resolution, including 3D displays; superior networking functionality and better audio. In summary, expect to see HDMI becoming your super-cable with souped-up transfer rates for not just HD content but also for networked data. It won’t be long before the S/PDIF optical audio cables and Cat-5 cables join floppy disks and CRT monitors very soon.