3D | 6:58 July 14, 2010 | Pete Dodd | Print this story

Global acceptance of 3D TV is still cloudy

Sales of 3D TV sets and stand-alone Blu-ray Disc players in the United States topped $55 million in the three months after their February launch, according to the NPD Group market research company.

NPD Industry Analysis Executive Director Ross Rubin said the figure represented a small fraction of overall TV sales in the US and he expected 3D sales to remain low throughout this year.

The need to wear 3D glasses is limiting widespread adoption of the format in US homes as 41% of those polled expressed concern about not having enough glasses for everyone to use, said the analyst.

“Many consumers have already shown that they are willing to use special glasses to obtain the effects, but want to preserve the social aspect of group television viewing,” Rubin said.

Broadcast Engineering magazine reported analysis from Informa Telecoms and Media showing that by the end of 2010 only 101,000 homes – less than 12% – will watch 3D material out of an installed base of 845,000 households.

That report predicted there will be 70 million 3D TV households worldwide by 2016 with less than one third watching it on a regular basis.

Retail analyst GfK said 25,000 3D-enabled TVs were sold in Europe to the end of May out of 252 million TV sets expected to be sold worldwide this year.

There is still little to watch in 3D, Broadcast Engineering noted, with only one Blu-ray 3D Disc available in the UK: “Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs.”