3DTV shipments to hit 43 mil. by 2014

3DTV shipments are expected to reach 3.4 million units this year and catapult to 42.9 million by 2014, according to a new forecast report from Santa Clara, Ca.-based market research firm DisplaySearch.

But DisplaySearch says the limited number of 3D movies being released on Blu-ray and the few TV programs offered in 3D present a challenge to the sale of 3DTVs as consumers may be tempted to wait in order to have enough material to watch. And the question of how consumers will adapt to wearing 3D glasses at home remains unresolved.

Still, DisplaySearch forecasts in its new 200-plus page issue of the DisplaySearch Q2’10 Quarterly TV Design and Features Report that 3D TV market penetration will grow from a 5% share of total flat panel TVs in 2010 to 37% in 2014.

Only two manufacturers — Panasonic and Samsung — introduced 3DTVs to the market in the first half of this year, and yet shipments will rise this year to more than 3 million from about 200,000 last year.

“We have seen a full range of 3D TVs in sizes from 40” to 63” already available, and without a doubt, there will be another wave of new products at the IFA show in Berlin in September,” noted Paul Gray, DisplaySearch Director of TV Electronics Research.

“Based on early indications, the launch of 3D TVs is similar to Samsung’s rollout of LED LCD TVs at the beginning of 2009, albeit at a slightly slower pace,” said Paul Gagnon, Director of North America TV Research at DisplaySearch. “This would be in line with our forecast of just over 2 million 3D TVs shipped in North America for 2010.”

— By Scott Hettrick