3DTV Shipments Set to Reach 46 Million by 2013, According to GigaOM Pro

SAN FRANCISCO--(Business Wire)--
While 3DTV has its skeptics, the giants in the consumer electronics industry see
huge potential, according to a new report from GigaOM Pro. As HDTV manufacturers
face shrinking margins and a maturing market, big players like Sony and
Panasonic see 3DTV as the way to rejuvenate their TV business. While the market
is only in its infancy today, by 2013 up to 46 million 3DTV capable flat-panel
HDTVs will head to consumer homes.

"While the initial shipments of flat-panel 3DTVs will be small in 2010 due to
premium pricing strategies by the large TV manufacturers, volumes are likely to
grow quickly in just a few short years as manufacturers begin to implement 3-D
as a standard feature across their HD flat-panel product lines," said Alfred
Poor, author of the report and publisher of the HDTV Almanac.

As 3-D becomes a standard feature with just a slight cost premium in coming
years - just as 120 Hz is today - many consumers will opt for 3D-capable TVs
even if the majority of the content they watch will be 2-D. However, as content
owners and pay-TV operators convert large portions of their back-catalogs of
content to 3-D, it`s likely many consumers will watch more and more of their
favorite shows and movies in 3-D.

"Just as many consumers are voting with their wallets today for the 3-D version
of their favorite movies in the theater, we expect over time that many will
choose 3-D for their favorite shows and movies at home as well," said Poor. "The
latest movies and shows will become available in 3-D on Blu-ray, Pay-TV channels
and even streaming online, which will help drive consumer adoption of 3D-capable
TVs as prices drop in coming years."

Another significant factor will be the widespread availability of lower-cost
active glasses for 3-D viewing. To date, the low number of glasses hasn`t yet
resulted in necessary scale in manufacturing to lower their average selling
price. In the future, however, high-volumes of 3DTVs will result in the need for
millions of glasses, driving down the cost of glasses for the home.

The report, "3DTV Market Analysis: Making the Transition from Cinema to Living
Room" is available at GigaOM Pro. The report includes analysis of the various
3DTV technologies, standards and markets. It examines the HDTV and 3DTV market
landscape and includes market forecasts for 3DTV, and strategic recommendations
for consumer electronics OEMs, content owners, service providers and retailers.

About GigaOM Pro

As part of the GigaOM Network, GigaOM Pro delivers actionable insights on
emerging markets by curating the most relevant news, providing big-picture
analysis and in-depth original research reports, and offering interactive
engagement with technology insiders. Visit GigaOM Pro today at
http://pro.gigaom.com

About Alfred Poor

Alfred Poor is a display industry expert and a member of the GigaOM Analyst
Network. He writes and publishes the HDTV Almanac, a daily compendium of news
and commentary on HDTV and home entertainment topics. He is active in the
Society for Information Display (SID), and is a former Chair of the Delaware
Valley Chapter of SID and of the SID Display of the Year Awards Committee.

GigaOM Pro
Jon Wirt, 408-905-9478
jon@gigaom.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009