Theres a lot of hubbub about 3DTV at the moment – Sony are pinning their hopes on 3D TV as the product that will increase their market share in a market that is getting increasingly competitive. The TV market, having had few major innovations in this category for some time (most consumers were pretty passe about thin screen LED or OLED technology), has become heavily relient on price – which can only be squeezing manufacturer and retailer revenues. Previously Sony were slow to move into LCD televisions having focussed on projector and Plasma technology and as a result lost out heavily when a change in direction was required – they are still loosing out – in order to stay competitive they are taking huge hits in profitability (so I’m told).
So, for Sony, 3D TV is an incentive for customers to upgrade as well as a means to add value (read ‘demand higher prices’) and therefore take bigger margins from products which are historically its staple. The technology also works better on larger screen TV’s – so here we are also seeing a reason for consumer’s to part with even more cash. But will the strategy work? I for one, can’t see people sat around at home wearing 3D TV glasses – TV viewing is increasingly fragmented, with many people concentrating on more than one task whilst watching ‘the box’, so getting up to do something else whilst wearing a weird set of glasses? I just don’t see it.
On top of this, 3D TV technology does not work for between 4% and 10% of the population. And what the hell do you do if you already wear glasses? Or some friends come round and you only have 2 pairs?
Not convinced. I guess we will see what the world cup was like in 3D (they will be filming it, but we are yet to hear if it will be broadcast in 3D), unfortunately the current opinion is that high speed action like football just doesn’t work well in 3D (rapid movement can make you disorientated / feel sick)!
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