Although the TV manufacturing and entertainment industries may have had high hopes for the take-up of 3D TVs by American consumers, it seems that they are destined for disappointment, as an online survey conducted by shopping and review website Retrevo.com revealed that more than half of potential HDTV buyers in the USA are refusing to make the shift over to 3D technology.
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| Over half of American HDTV buyers refuse to go 3D |
Many consumer electronic manufacturers have put their faith in 3D technology, believing that it will take off among viewers. However, many are now losing money hand over fist because the popularity of 3D has been nowhere near as high as they had envisaged. Panasonic, one of the chief proponents of the 3D movement, recently announced annual net losses of $5.5 billion (£3.43 billion), whilst Sony is having to consider restructuring in a bid to try and revive its flagging television sector.
Figures showed that while some TV makers may be struggling, there are in fact many US consumers who are planning to purchase new HDTVs, with one third of respondents in the survey stating that they would be buying an HDTV in the coming year. However, of those who are planning to splash out on an HDTV set, only a small proportion – 22 percent to be precise – said that they would be looking to get one with 3D capabilities, whereas 55% stated that they will definitely not invest in a 3D-ready set next year, which will come as a blow for manufacturers of 3D televisions.
Past studies have suggested that the initial lack of interest in 3DTVs was partly due to the high price of the sets, which in the current climate consumers are not willing to pay. However, as is the case with all new technologies as they get older, the cost of 3DTV displays has started to come down. Nevertheless, there are other factors at play which are hindering 3DTV adoption, including the need to wear 3D glasses, and the relative dearth of extra-dimensional content.
Source: Retrevo
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