Whatever happened to 3D TVs? One moment they were being touted as the future of television, and for a few years, every major TV manufacturer was offering 3D as standard on their high-end panels. Then they disappeared completely – just as 4K TVs were being rolled out worldwide
But why did 4K supplant 3D in what should have been the latter’s heyday? Was this mere coincidence? Was it a matter of cost? Was it a lack of consumer interest in 3D? Or is 4K just easier to create and more convenient to watch?
The first mainstream 3D TVs were unveiled at CES 2010, with most manufacturers displaying 3D TV demos of various types at the international expo. Later that year the first 3D TVs started hitting shelves.
As with most new technology these cutting-edge panels were expensive, with 40-inch panels starting at roughly $2,000 / £1,350 / AU$2,600. Prices soon fell, and by 2012 a Samsung 50-inch 1080p Full HD 3D TV could be picked up for around half the amount.
As expected, this increased sales, and by 2012 3D TVs made up 25.7% of global TV sales, which equates to approximately 25 million…
