SEOUL: Sales of 3DTV sets have taken off in South Korea since the start of the World Cup last Friday. Samsung said it sold more than 6,000 3DTVs there in the first two weeks of June. That pace compares to sales of 20,000 3DTV sets in March, April and May. A company official told Agence France-Pressethat the international soccer tournament in South African is driving demand for 3D sets. He said global sales figures were not yet available.
Samsung started selling 3DTV sets in Korea in February, and in the United States a month later. It reports having taken 1 million orders for the sets thus far this year. Component shortages have constrained deliveries to around 600,000, around 30,000 of which are expected to be sold in Korea.
LG Electronics, also based in South Korea, also reported increased domestic sales for June, shipping 3,000 3DTV sets on its home turf. LG expects to sell 10,000 3DTV sets domestically before introducing them into the U.S. and European markets, according to Asia Pulse Data Source.
Market researcher iSuppli predicts global shipments of 3DTV sets will reach 4.2 million units this year; 12.9 million next year; and 78.1 million in 2015. By comparison, shipments of all types of LCD TV sets are expected to reach 170 million this year, with LED set sales reaching 26 million. The Consumer Electronics Association anticipates shipment of just over 1 million 3DTV sets in the United States this year.
-- Deborah D. McAdams
