World Cup set to boost 3D TV uptake

The upcoming World Cup in South Africa is set to kick-start the 3D TV revolution, according to latest industry forecasts.

Informa Telecoms and Media’s new report predicts that over 20 million homes will be watching 3D TV around the globe within the next five years, with North America expected to lead the way with 9.2 million 3D TV homes.

The World Cup provides an “ideal platform” for the 3D TV push, which is being supported by set manufacturers, content owners, broadcasters, platforms and satellite operators.  If take-up goes as well as expected, Informa forecasts that 3D TV will be in 1.6% of all homes by 2015.

“This summer’s World Cup will provide an ideal platform for 3D programming, for example, FIFA and Sony have already announced that they will be showing 25 matches in 3D, ”  Simon Murray, author of the ‘Global 3D TV Forecasts’ report, said.  “With the possible exception of the Olympics, the World Cup is the most important showcase for new broadcast technology and it could potentially do for 3D TV, what Avatar did for 3D movies.”

“3D TV is set to increase in popularity over the next five years due a number of contributing factors – a key reason being the push from content owners, broadcasters and pay TV platforms who are keen to drive adoption as they see this as a potential growth area.  Although the forecast figure seems quite low, the market will still be very immature by 2015, so significant opportunities exist beyond this date.”

However, despite the positive forecasts for 3D TV take-up, Informa also believes that the absence of a glasses-free system for watching 3D will limit growth.

“We believe that 3D TV will take off, but we also believe that 3D TV viewing will be limited until the technology has progressed sufficiently to remove the viewer’s need to wear glasses – which we estimate will be beyond our forecast period,” Murray said.

“Other limiting factors for 3D TV in the home include a lack of content, high production costs, scarcity of channels, bandwidth constraints and the high cost of 3D sets.”