3D TV Sales Modest To Date In Europe

After much speculation on whether the consumers at large would embrace 3D TV technology especially when the lacklustre economic climate and a conspicuous lack of 3D content are taken into account, hard figures are now available for the actual number of units physically purchased by European users. In a survey conducted among 120 electronic retailers in Germany, France and the UK by retail and technology market research firm GfK, European consumers have shelled out their hard-earned cash on at least 25,000 units of 3D-capable flat-screen HDTVs by the end of May 2010.

At first glance, these numbers do not sound too bad when you consider that 3D TVs actually only started hitting store shelves towards the end of April 2010. But when put into context against the 252 million TVs estimated to be sold worldwide by the end of this year, 25,000 is but a drop in the ocean, suggesting that 3D display technology still has a long way to go before achieving mass-market penetration.

Despite these less-than-encouraging figures, HDTV manufacturers are expected to continue spreading the 3D gospel. When presenting their survey results at the firm’s annual Consumer Electronics Conference in Munich, GfK remarked that “almost every notable TV manufacturer” is — or soon will be — offering televisions with 3D capability. So far Samsung, Panasonic and Sony have launched their respective 3DTV sets in the United Kingdom, with LG (and later Toshiba and Philips) to follow shortly.

90% of the retailers who participated in the survey also reported a heightened interest in internet connectivity among potential HDTV buyers. GfK said that as HDTVs continue to push the boundaries and take over the roles of more traditional electronic devices such as laptops and computers in performing tasks like internet browsing and video downloading, it is not surprising to find that TV is indeed the segment that generates the most sales in the consumer electronics arena.

5 comments

  1. Says it all – very few people are interested in the overly expensive 3D gimmick! Do manufacturers really think people are that niave and would spend money on yet another go at a tried, tested and failed novelty? When reality is we can have 3D without any specialist equipment anyway!?

    Go back to the drawing board, Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, et al!

  2. 3D isn’t a gimmick. 3D TV’s are too expensive and there’s not enough content because everything is bought up by the manufacturers. Panasonic bought Avatar, Sony bought Alice in Wonderland and Samsung bought up a couple of CGI movies.

    Almost all people buying a Flatpanel TV these days buy inexpensive TV’s. The sales for all high-end TV’s either 2D or 3D are modest at best.

    By making 3D a niche market the manufacturers themselves are killing off 3D quick.

  3. Many broadcasters here in the UK still aren’t even on the HD bandwagon yet, nevermind 3D.

    Give me a 3D HDTV that my family & friends can watch without the thicko glasses and maybe I’ll consider buying one.

  4. Well what do these companies expect i mean i like the idea of 3d tv but look at the price of everything. You have to upgrade all your equipment again like bluray buy a 3d tv then buy 3d glasses at a ridiculous price. Most people have only just bought a normal hdtv. Oh did i mention there is hardly any content out in 3d.

  5. The reason 3D television is dead is the lack of standards. The international standards organisation responsible is the Society of Motion Picture And Television Engineers (SMPTE). As most in the industry know, the SMPTE standards process is horribly corrupt, dominated by a handful of companies including Dolby Labs and Warner Bros. The chief SMPTE engineer is a tool of the studios, and instead of good engineering the only thing that’s important at SMPTE is personal relationships. Most reputable manufacturers have quit the process at SMPTE due to this corruption. This has left 3D with no possible standardisation and a failed process. The ANSI is supposed to supervise SMPTE, but they refuse to do so.