TV Makers Switching From 3D to 4K?

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TV Makers Switching From 3D to 4K?
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (October 4, 2011) -- Are TV makers finally getting wise about 3D TV?

The Wall Street Journal reports that CE companies at this year's CEATEC trade conference in Japan are showcasing new 4K TVs rather than 3D sets. The 4K TV, which is not expected to be available at retail until next year, purport to offer a resolution four times better than current HDTVs.

However, the sets are also likely to be four times -- no, make that 10 times -- more expensive than current HDTVs when they are first launched. WSJ writes that Toshiba plans to introduce a 55-inch 4K TV in Europe and Japan in December. The price tag: about $11,700.

The 4K Toshiba set also permits viewers to watch 3D TV -- and without glasses -- but TV makers apparently are conceding that 3D isn't enough to attract cash-strapped consumers. Sales of 3D TVs have been dismal in the U.S.

"Quite simply, this year’s TV offerings at CEATEC, Japan’s biggest annual electronics trade fair, showed that TV makers now think 3-D alone is no longer special enough to tempt canny customers, particularly as major markets like the U.S. and Europe suffer economic weakness," writes WSJ.

4K TVs are expected to be the industry's next big advance prior to the introduction of so-called 'Super HDTVs,' which are likely to be ready in roughly five years. The Super HDTV picture has been said to be up to 20 times better than current sets.

WSJ also reports that Sharp this week exhibited a 60-inch 4K TV which it plans to introduce at retail next year. There was no price information available on that set.

And, as previously reported here, Sony plans to launch a 4K Home Theater Projector this December Sony says the projector, model VPL-VW1000ES, will begin shipping to custom installers and CE specialty stores in December and will cost around $25,000.

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Phillip Swann is president and publisher of TVPredictions.com. He has been quoted in dozens of publications and broadcast outlets, including CNN, Fox News, Inside Edition, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, The Associated Press and The Hollywood Reporter. He can be reached at swann@tvpredictions.com or at 703-505-3064.

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