3D TVs to account for 10% of market by 2011

Posted by David Walker on Tue 31 Mar 2009

And Blu-ray will outperform movie downloads

3D TV isn't something out of science fiction, it's fast becoming reality. Sky is on schedule to start broadcasting in 3D by Christmas, while LG (amongst others) will have 3D-compatible TVs on the market this year. And it could be the start of a boom period for 3D, according to Screen Digest.

The media analyst believes 3D TVs will account for 10 per cent of sales by 2011, rising to 16 per cent (that's around 2.8 billion sets) by 2016, but only if an 'industry standard' is put in place. If a standard isn't met, that figure dives to just 3 per cent by 2015. And how will we get those 3D flicks? Blu-ray rather than downloads is predicted - although with broadband speeds increasing rapidly, you might want to take that prediction with a larger pinch of salt.

There shouldn't be any shortage of initial content when it does launch, with Hollywood going big on 3D in 2009, including high-profile releases like Monsters Vs Aliens and James Cameron's Avatar. Although whether that limited novelty is enough to get us all to splash out on yet another TV is highly debatable. And if we don't shell out, the movies just might dry up too.

Or in the words of Marie Bloomfield, analyst at Screen Digest: 'As it is emerging in the middle of a recession, the home 3D market is in a Catch-22 situation. Consumers will not be persuaded to invest in new equipment to experience 3D until there is enough content; and content production will not ramp up until there is a significant audience.'

Link: Screen Digest (via TechRadar)