Newsmaker's Perspective: Alliance Launches GPMI, Another Turn in the Story
In the ever-evolving world of consumer and professional AV technology, a new contender has emerged, promising to redefine connectivity standards. The General Purpose Media Interface (GPMI), announced in April, is backed by more than 50 Chinese companies, including Hisense and TCL, aiming to revolutionise the way we connect our devices.
GPMI, with its higher data bandwidth and power delivery capabilities, could potentially outshine HDMI, the current industry standard. While HDMI 2.2, introduced earlier this year, boasts a maximum data rate of 96 Gbps, GPMI offers twice that over USB-C cables and an exceptional 192 Gbps over a proprietary Type-B cable [1]. This enhanced bandwidth allows GPMI to handle advancing formats like 8K content and 4K esports with greater efficiency.
Moreover, GPMI's power delivery capabilities far surpass HDMI’s. It can deliver up to 240W (USB-C) or 480W (Type-B), enabling devices to be powered or phones charged directly through the interface [1]. Additionally, GPMI aims to unify AV, data, control, and power transfer in one connector, promising streamlined infrastructure and lower equipment costs in AV environments.
However, GPMI's current adoption is early and geographically limited, mostly to China. The Shenzhen 8K UHD Video Industry Cooperation Alliance, of which Hisense is a member, is exploring GPMI integration, indicating strong interest within China and adjacent regions [1][2]. Yet, outside China, GPMI sees backing primarily from major Chinese brands, and widespread adoption or significant market penetration outside Asia is not guaranteed [1][2].
HDMI, on the other hand, remains the prevalent interface globally for consumer and professional AV, with nearly 10 billion devices sold worldwide since its 2003 introduction, and broad industry support across consumer electronics [3]. Ken Hong, head of corporate communications and public relations for Hisense Americas Region, recognises the potential of GPMI but acknowledges it is still in its early stages [1].
The development of GPMI's adoption could lead to a format war in the display interface technology industry over the next few years, as GPMI seeks to challenge HDMI's dominance. However, the entertainment centre's transition to a more streamlined, cable-free future remains to be seen.
[1] AV Technology Europe, "General Purpose Media Interface (GPMI) set to challenge HDMI", 1st June 2025, https://www.avteurope.com/news/general-purpose-media-interface-gpmi-set-to-challenge-hdmi [2] AVNation, "GPMI: The Next Step in AV Connectivity?", 8th June 2025, https://avnation.tv/news/technology/gpmi-next-step-av-connectivity/ [3] HDMI.org, "HDMI Adoption", https://www.hdmi.org/manufacturers/adoption/
Products like GPMI and HDMI are shaking up the world of consumer and professional AV technology, particularly with their integrated features. As GPMI, backed by Chinese brands such as Hisense and TCL, is undergoing early adoption in China, data-and-cloud-computing features are anticipated to further enhance its potential, aiming to unify AV, data, control, and power transfer in one connector. On the contrary, HDMI, with its widespread global adoption, remains the dominant interface, boasting over 10 billion devices sold since its inception in 2003 [3]. The development of GPMI's market penetration could lead to an impending format war in the display interface technology industry, thus determining the future direction of technology in this sector.
