NEW YORK — Internet-enabled
and 3D TV shipments are enjoying robust
growth, with shipments of the former
far outstripping those of the muchhyped
3D variety, according to iSuppli.
iSuppli is forecasting shipments of Internet-
enabled TVs (IETV) to hit 27.7
million worldwide this year, growing
to 148.3 million in 2014. 3D TV shipments
will touch 4.2 million in 2010,
climbing to 60.5 million in four years.
DisplaySearch is projecting lower
shipments for 3D TV of 3.4 million this
year, growing to 42.9 million by 2014.
DisplaySearch’s European TV analyst
Paul Gray said his firm is hedging
its bets right now concerning 3D TV
shipments and that explains why its
forecast is so low.
“We are more pessimistic, based on very
limited SKUs available in 3D — and at
stratospheric prices! For shipments to go
up 3D has to be at mass-market prices. Our
view is that drastically higher shipments are
possible, but they have to be at around the
$1000 mark at retail,” Gray said.
In addition, Gray pointed out that
according to his data only 10 million
of all TVs sold worldwide retailed for
more than $1,000 pre tax.
iSuppli’s thoughts were along the
same lines.
The reason IETV growth will far
out-distance that of its much-hyped 3D
TV cousin remains cost, content and
interoperability, said iSuppli’s Riddhi
Patel, television systems director and
principal analyst. iSuppli expects 3D
TV to remain a niche product for 2010,
purchased primarily by early adopters,
while IETV enters the mainstream.
“IETV provides immediate benefits by allowing TV viewers to access a
range of content readily available on the
Internet,” he said.
IETV is also benefiting from the aggressive
stance taken by vendors to strike
partnerships with content providers, ensuring
a steady stream of new programming
available via the web, said Patel.
This is an area still causing problems
on the 3D TV front.
DisplaySearch’s Paul Gagnon, director
of North American TV research, noted
that delivery of 3D-capable TVs is currently
outstripping content availability.
“3D content for TV remains limited
to a small number of movies, plus some
sports events on pay TV, which are dependent
on cable providers. Blockbuster
movies in 3D, such as ‘Avatar,’ will
not be available for 3D TV in 2010,”
Gagnon reported.
