The next four years will see significant growth in the popularity of 3-D television among viewers as a forecasted 40 percent of TV homes in the United States adopt the technology for home viewing by the end of 2014, according to a new forecast from IMS Research.
Worldwide, the uptake of 3-D home viewing is expected to be slower, with some 9 percent of households acquiring 3-D TVs by the end of 2014, the research firm said.
The forecasts are part of the new "3D Video & Gaming" report from IMS Research. According to the report, more than 50 broadcasters and TV operators around the world will offer a 3-D service to viewers by the end of the year.
"Although right now there are only a few select operators and networks that have the resources to create and deliver a compelling 3-D offering, most leading service providers and broadcasters around the world are considering how to enhance their premium offerings by incorporating 3-D," said Anna Hunt, report author and principal analyst at IMS Research.
An IMS Research survey of broadcasters and operators found 75 percent of the companies surveyed plan to test or offer 3-D over the next 18 months; 20 percent have already launched 3-D in some capacity. Hunt said the companies had identified two impediments to deployment of 3-D: low penetration of 3-D-capable sets and the lack of standardization.
