People may be pooh-poohing 3D TV, but someone is certainly buying them. According to new research by DisplaySearch, shipments of 3D LCD TV panels jumped 124 percent in the second quarter of 2011.
According to the company's "Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Shipment Report," a total of 5.2 million 3D-capable large-area TFT LCD panels shipped in Q2 2011. The panels were used primarily for LCD TVs, which reached 4.9 million units. That number means that the segment had a total of 118 percent growth in the quarter, and more than doubled 3D penetration in LCD TV panels from Q1's 4.5 percent to 9.3 percent for Q2.
If all goes well, panel makers are hoping to see 53 percent growth in 3D LCD TV panel shipments for Q3, as both shutter glass and pattern retarder technologies mature and costs continue to fall.
"The LCD TV panel industry has been in oversupply for more than a year, and panel makers are motivated to develop new features like LED and 3D to increase value. Although there are still doubts about whether the market is ready for 3D, 3D penetration is increasing due to falling prices and the ability to produce panels," said David Hsieh, VP of DisplaySearch's Greater China Market. "3D is not only for high-end products; we are starting to see panel makers develop cost-effective 3D, such as 60Hz refresh rate with signal simulation or lower frequency with blinking backlight units, which are targeted at affordability and will be critical in encouraging 3D adoption."
DisplaySearch also says that gaming and other special application monitors helped to drive the growth of 3D monitor panel shipments, which rose from Q1's 80,000 units to more than 250,000 in Q2 2011. Many desktop monitors currently use glass, but pattern retarder and switched cell solutions are on the rise. Panel makers expect to double those shipments in Q3 2011. Panel makers are also promoting shutter glass, pattern retarder, and autostereoscopic solutions to the gamer and entertainment- focused notebook users, with those shipments expected to jump 126 percent by Q3 2011.
As far as 3D TVs are concerned, consumers seem to be buying up the larger sizes, which certainly provide a better overall 3D effect. According to DisplaySearch's numbers, 3D LCD TVs 40 inches and up increased from 12.7 percent in Q1 to 21.7 percent in Q2. From there, panel makers are hoping to see a 28.2 percent in Q3 2011.
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