X

3D TV shipments to soar 500 percent in 2011

Televisions with 3D capability will keep increasing in popularity, In-Stat predicts, with 300 million households worldwide owning 3D TVs in 2015.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
See full bio
Don Reisinger
More and more 3D TVs are on the way.
More and more 3D TVs are on the way. Sarah Tew/CNET

Televisions boasting 3D capabilities will be far more popular this year than last, market researcher In-Stat predicts.

According to an In-Stat report released today, 3D TV shipments will be up nearly 500 percent worldwide this year, compared with 2010. In-Stat also predicts that sometime soon all televisions with screen sizes of 40 inches and above will come with 3D functionality.

There are still barriers, though, the 3D TV expansion..

Last month, market researcher NPD Group released findings on consumer interest in 3D TVs. NPD found that 45 percent of people who won't buy a 3D TV cite price as the barrier and 42 percent say its the special 3D glasses.

Perhaps of more concerns for 3D TV makers, those figures are up. According to the NPD, last year 37 percent of people who won't buy a 3D TV pointed to price and 32 percent blamed the glasses.

But as In-Stat's study has found, consumers may not have much of a choice. Vendors are continuing to add 3D capability, especially to bigger-screen sets. And if folks want bigger screens, they will soon get 3D capability whether they seek it or not.

In 2015, In-Stat predicts, a whopping 300 million households worldwide will have 3D TV sets.