Study on 3DTV Adoption Highlights Misinformation…and Stupidity

I’ve maintained, in the face of the huge push towards 3D this year, that the biggest stumbling blocks for the adoption of the technology are the prohibitive high costs involved, and the cumbersome need for glasses. Toshiba may have stepped over the latter hurdle, but they made the already expensive tech even more so, while reducing screen size.

A recent survey, polling 1500 consumers between the ages of 12 and 65 largely agrees with me; but also highlights how misinformed consumers in general are.

Here are the findings that Interpret’s Michael Cai presented :

• Only 13 percent of consumers were in the market to purchase a new HD TV and would “definitely buy” a 3D-ready set within the next year.
• 10 percent of those polled , who were planning to buy an HD TV in the next year “definitely will not buy” a 3D TV.
• An authentic Home Theatre experience is the biggest driving factor to 3D adoption.
• Glasses are the biggest concern with consumers; largely as a result of their expense, and discomfort with
• 46 percent of those surveyed polled citing glasses as the main reason they weren’t keen on 3DTV
• 69 percent saw 3D TV sets as more of a financial burden than a benefit; the costs outweigh the usefulness.
• A shocking 63 percent of console owners think all that needed to enable 3D in their homes is a firmware update, and not the purchase of a new TV.
• 83 percent of consumers are completely oblivious to the existence of glasses-free 3D tech, like Nintendo’s 3DS and Toshiba’s 3DTVs.

63 % of console owners think a firmware update will magically make their TV’s 3D? Dumb bastards. It seems fro the information gathered that the biggest hurdle for 3D may not be the cost or the glasses; it’s consumer education.

Source : Gamasutra

Last Updated: October 6, 2010