The NPD Group released new information regarding 3D awareness via their 3D 360º Monitor. It
showed that awareness of both 3D Blu-ray and 3D TVs has increased significantly.
However, the news was damped by raised concerns about aversion to 3D glasses and
the price premium that 3D technology carries.
With autostereoscopic TVs coming this year from major consumer electronics companies
the first concern may be allayed, but as they come with a more significant price premium
the second concern could hold up 3D take up until that premium is eliminated.
The research shows that 3D plasma TV awareness went up by a whopping 11 percent from 21 to 32 percent and the awareness of 3D Blu-ray players was not far behind at 26 percent up from 15 percent, both over the course of the six months from September 2010 to February 2011.
Blu-ray is the Key
The survey showed that Blu-ray accounts for the majority of people's interest in 3D content. With 68 percent of respondents interested in 3D TV identifying 3D Blu-ray as the most important type of content they were looking for, while sports on satellite or cable television scored below 40 percent in the same survey.
Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis, said "Both movies and sports were important content drivers in the HD transition. However, while feature films provided a large library of content that could be
readily converted to HD, there wasn't packaged media that delivered on the promise of
the entertainment experience as Blu-ray now provides for 3D." With 3D Blu-ray Disc availability increasing all the time and a number of titles planned before the end of the year, hopefully 3D Blu-ray can push 3D TV into people's homes.
Credit:
NPD