More Than a Third of All TVs Sold will be 3D by 2014

July 28, 2010 By Nick Mokey

A new forecast from DisplaySearch shows 3D TV sales going from 3.4 million this year to 42.9 million in 2014, to command 37 percent of the market.

Despite the whirlwind of skepticism surrounding 3D TV and the persisting glut of real 3D content, it’s beginning to look like 3D TV is taking off – whether consumers are clamoring for it or not. According to the market research firm DisplaySearch, 3D TVs will account for 3.4 million of the TVs shipped this year, and 42.9 million by 2014.

Those numbers represent five percent and 37 percent of total shipments, respectively. DisplaySearch’s director of North American TV research, Paul Gagnon, compares the introduction to Samsung’s rollout of LED-backlit LCD sets back in 2009, but at a “slightly slower” pace. Although many manufacturers showed off 3D TVs at CES 2010, only Panasonic and Samsung managed to actually get their first models onto store shelves within the first half of the year.

According to DisplaySearch, key factors still inhibiting the 3D TV market include a relative paucity of 3D content, not to mention low penetration of the Blu-ray players needed to access much of it, and lingering consumer cynicism over wearing 3D glasses. A lack of “blockbuster” hits has also been a factor; Although Avatar drummed up some enthusiasm for 3D technology when it appeared in theaters, it still isn’t available on 3D Blu-ray, and won’t be within 2010.

Showing 4 comments

Lee at 7:48am 24th September 2010 @Nick Mokey: "persisting glut of real 3D content"... glut means excessive supply, more than enough. Is this what you meant? Is there really too much 3D content? Or did you mean to say NOT enough content, i.e. "persisting scarcity of real 3D content"? Just wondering
ioman at 4:56pm 28th July 2010 This report is misleading. 3D will be built into most TVs by then. It's not like consumers will be heading out and asking specifically for a 3D TV. Personally I think 3D TVs are a bad choice. The glasses are expensive, there are few good home movies available in 3D and you get a headache after prolonged use.
1. HaveOne at 1:57am 29th July 2010 Keep telling yourself that I got one and it is fantastic and the 2d to 3d conversion is amazing
  1. Tony R at 8:02pm 31st July 2010 I have a 3d tv also. Man it is great. I laugh because the people that don't like 3d think all of us who do like it don't exist. Yeah, we would never ask for a 3d tv. That just never ever happens.