Just how many 3DTVs have shipped so far this year is anyone’s guess. Quixel Research says the total was 327,552 through the second quarter of this year. Samsung has either shipped 1 million worldwide or half that number. Forecasts for total number of 3DTV sets shipped this year also vary. The Consumer Electronics Association said 4 million in January, then pruned the prediction to 1.05 million the following month. Quixel Research, based in Portland, Ore., is going with around 2.1 million, according to TWICE. The firm previously predicted 3DTV shipments would total 2.6 million by the end of 2010, but it recently pared back its forecast.

3DTV sets hit the market in March and prices proceeded to fall. By around June, some models could be had for around 30 percent less than they were at introduction. By August, some reached parity with HDTV sets. Quixel’s Tamaryn Pratt told TWICE that plummeting prices would fire up shipments for the final two quarters of the year.

Among the lower-priced 3DTV intros is a 50-inch plasma from Samsung, the PN50C490. The model became available for pre-order last month from Amazon for $989. Even though set prices are falling, nearly 80 percent of 3DTVs available at retail had suggested prices of $2,000 or more at the start of the month, TWICE said.

The publication also made note of reports emerging from Seoul, Korea, made by officials of Samsung that the manufacturer had shipped more than 1 million 3DTV sets through August, and held 88 percent of the U.S. 3DTV market share. However, the electronics maker’s second-quarter results said it “took a strong lead in the 3DTV market, selling more than 500,000 units following the launch of its new lineup in March.”
— Deborah D. McAdams

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