Future prospects for 3D TVs and monitors from here to 2018

According to figures released by analyst DisplaySearch, the progress of 3D displays is likely to initially be dominated by 3D monitors, followed by televisions.

We read about the research in a press release from Samsung, which is planning to massively ramp up production of panels for 3D displays.  The Korean manufacturer included figures showing how DisplaySearch expects the 3D display market to evolve over the next ten years.

3D Monitor Sales	3D TV Sales

The most important thing to remember here is that this study,  and the graphic above, describes the number of screens sold every year.  That's why we've totalled the figures to include previous years' sales to show the number of TVs actually in use by consumers:

3D Monitors In Use	3D TVs In Use

As you can see, this long-term study predicts developments up to 2018.  Plenty of things could change between now and then, but it's interesting to note that computer monitors will drive the market forward at first, selling between two and four times as many units in a given year.  Equally, although sales of 3D TVs are set to rise by 600% in 2010 compared to 2009, there will still only be a million of them out there by the end of the year.  That's only to be expected, as 3D TVs will only really go on sale in the middle of the year, and there's not yet enough content to justify the purchase for many people.  In the future, though, 3D Blu-ray discs and television programmes will  presumably become more common.  For the first few years, though, it's likely the 'early adopter' crowd--technology fans like us--will be the only ones to try 3D out.

Like with CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs before them, it will 3D monitors and televisions two or three years to really take off.  That time should allow plenty of time for 3D Blu-ray and other content to blossom, while the high prices of the earliest models will fall off in years to come.

> Product Survey: 40'' to 49'' TVs

> Product Survey: 23'' to 28'' LCD Monitors