EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. — Global 3D television
shipments will reach 78 million
units by 2015, rising at a compound annual
growth rate (CAGR) of 80 percent, from
4.2 million in 2010, according to a newly released
forecast from iSuppli.
At the same time, the market research
fi rm predicts revenue from global shipments
3D TV sets will hit $64.4 billion in
2015, from $7.4 billion in 2010.
“While 3D television has been all the
rage in the consumer electronics industry,
the market so far has been more talk than
action,” stated Riddhi Patel, iSuppli television
system research director. “However,
announcements made before and after
the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show
(CES) in January indicate that 3D TV is
becoming a reality. At the event, top television
brands including Sony, LG, Panasonic
and Samsung showcased upcoming
offerings of full-featured 3D TVs in the
home. Furthermore, consumer electronics
makers at CES announced 3D Blu-ray
players and home-theater systems, providing
critical support that will help 3D to
move beyond a niche market and enter the
mainstream in the coming years.”
Patel said she expects to see intense
competition for brand share in the 3D market,
which should prices to plunge quickly.
The average selling price (ASP) for a
3D TV set (globally based) is expected
to drop to $825 by 2015, less than half the
$1,768 ASP in 2010, according to iSuppli.
iSuppli said it expects the initial 3D TV
sets will launch with a $600 to $700 price
premium compared to equivalent 2D-only
LCD TVs using LED backlighting.
For the reason, the primary market will
be made up of early adopters in 2010, the
firm expects.
“However, by 2012 and beyond, sales
will spread to a wider audience as content
availability increases and prices drop—
factors that will enable 3D TVs to appeal
to a wider audience,” iSuppli said.
One concern for the television industry
is that special glasses are required for
consumers to actually see 3D images.
According to some estimates, the price
of active-shutter 3D glasses used by most
3D TVs could run as high as $300 a pair,
which iSuppli said would be prohibitive
for an average family to afford.
One way that some OEMs are working
around this issue is by including two pairs
of glasses with their 3D sets. These bundles
would then take away the price of the
glasses and give consumers the capability
to view 3D immediately.
