Report Sees Strong Demand for 3D TV

SCOTTSDALE: A new report by In-Stat sees strong potential for 3D viewing in the home, with 64 percent of consumers indicating an interest in the technology, while the number of 3D TV shipments worldwide is set to reach 41 million by 2014.

The report, 3D TV Coming Soon to a Home Near You, states that this year will be a big one for 3D entertainment, on the heels of the theatrical success of Avatar. “Exposure to 3D films is important to the debut of 3D TV, because consumers who have seen 3D films are more interested than the general population in being able to view 3D content at home,” said Michelle Abraham, an In-Stat analyst. “In-Stat’s 3D consumer survey shows that 64 percent of consumers are at least somewhat interested in 3D in the home. For those who have seen a 3D movie in the last 12 months, the percentage increases to 76 percent.”

However, pricing is a major barrier, In-Stat says, with consumers noting they are not willing to pay much of a premium for 3D TV sets and Blu-ray players. In-Stat also states that pay-TV operators will use half resolution 3D as a stepping stone and learning opportunity before deploying full 3D in the future. North America is expected to be the largest market for 3D. ESPN and a joint venture of Discovery, Sony and IMAX have already unveiled plans to tap into this burgeoning market.