Is 3D TV Coming Back?

It‘s not looking too likely, my friend. While some companies are still tinkering with 3D display tech, the initial wave of enthusiasm for 3D TVs in the early 2010s quickly fizzled out. But let‘s take a deeper look at why 3D TVs failed, if any are still being made, and whether better versions could revive consumer interest in the future.

How Do 3D TVs Work?

Before we get into what went wrong, let‘s briefly cover how these futuristic-looking sets even create a 3D image in the first place.

Most 3D TVs use one of two technologies:

Active 3D – The TV displays alternating images intended for the left and right eyes in quick succession. You wear shutter glasses that sync with the TV to block each eye in turn, so each eye only sees the image meant for it.

Passive 3D – The TV displays images for both eyes at once, stacked on top of each other. Your 3D glasses have filters that direct the left eye image to your left eye and the right to your right eye.

Both methods create a sense of depth, but active 3D TVs tend to look sharper and brighter, while passive 3D glasses are more comfortable for longer viewing.

The Rise and Fall of 3D TV Popularity

3D TVs exploded onto the scene around 2010, promising an exciting new entertainment experience. Major brands like Samsung, LG, Sony, and Panasonic all touted these futuristic sets.

According to DisplaySearch, 3D TV shipments peaked in 2012 with over 20 million units sent to retailers worldwide. But by 2016, that number had dropped to just over 200,000 units [1].

So what happened in those few short years to make 3D TV go from the hottest new thing to an abandoned gimmick?

There were a few key drawbacks to 3D TVs that consumers just couldn‘t get past:

• Having to wear awkward 3D glasses to get the full effect
• Viewing fatigue after prolonged watching due to eye strain
• Limited 3D content available to watch besides some Blu-ray discs
• Dimmer image compared to normal 2D TVs
• Small "sweet spot" where 3D looked correct; distortion if sitting even slightly off-center
• Higher prices – 3D TVs cost $200-500 more than comparable 2D sets

While the 3D effect worked well under ideal conditions in the store, consumers found it just wasn‘t worth the hassle at home. By 2016, no major manufacturer was still producing new 3D TV models.

Are Any 3D TVs Still Being Made?

The consumer 3D TV market is essentially dead at this point. But a few manufacturers still cater to a small niche of 3D enthusiasts.

For example, LG continues to sell high-end OLED TVs that support 3D when used with active shutter glasses. But these are priced more as luxury sets rather than mainstream home entertainment displays.

A few home theater projector companies also offer 3D-capable projectors, but these make up a tiny sliver of overall projector sales. Projectors allow for much larger screen sizes, which helps enhance the 3D effect.

According to the Consumer Technology Association, only 2% of the TVs shipped in 2021 were 3D-capable, compared to 25% in 2012 [2]. 3D capability was simply no longer in demand among mainstream consumers.

Will 3D TV Ever Make a Comeback?

Given the initial failed promise of 3D TVs, it‘s unlikely major brands will take another chance on the technology unless they can solve the core issues that plagued earlier sets.

As technology analyst Ross Rubin told The Washington Post, “Once badly burned, the TV makers are going to be very cautious about making another big bet” [3].

That said, companies are actively researching glasses-free 3D approaches that could potentially revive the appeal. These include things like parallax barriers, lenticular lenses, volumetric displays, and tracking viewers‘ eye positions.

For instance, LG unveiled a glasses-free 3D OLED prototype in 2019 using eye-tracking and AI to optimize the 3D effect for multiple viewers [4]. So far though, no consumer products have emerged.

While niche 3D TV offerings will probably continue in the meantime, it would likely take a major breakthrough in glasses-free 3D for the technology to return in full force.

Availability of 3D Content

Beyond the technical challenges, there‘s the fact that interest in creating 3D content has also declined significantly since its heyday nearly 10 years ago.

The number of 3D films being produced peaked around 2011, at nearly 40 releases that year including blockbusters like Avatar, Tron: Legacy, and How to Train Your Dragon [5].

But the number of 3D theatrical releases has trended downward since. By 2021, there were just 11 films released in 3D, including mostly animated titles.

On streaming services, available 3D content is even more scarce. Netflix currently lists just 9 titles available in 3D format [6], while Hulu has zero. There are 3D titles available for purchase through digital stores, but overall selection pales in comparison to the early 2010s.

Physical media like 3D Blu-ray discs remain the best source for 3D movies at home. However, the number of new 3D Blu-ray titles being produced is a fraction of what it was during 3D TVs’ peak popularity.

This dearth of 3D content to watch further diminishes the appeal of investing in a 3D TV. It‘s a kind of chicken-and-egg scenario where weak demand for 3D hardware also depressed demand for 3D software.

Should You Still Buy a 3D TV in 2024?

While niche 3D fans may still enjoy the limited new models and content available, most mainstream consumers looking for a new TV are better off investing in a high-quality 2D set.

Brand new OLED and QLED TVs offer incredible contrast, vivid colors, and realistic detail that arguable rival or surpass most 3D. And features like smart platforms, streaming apps, gaming enhancements, and voice controls make today‘s 2D TVs far more versatile devices at the center of home entertainment.

Unless you‘re a die-hard 3D enthusiast and willing to live with the limitations and hassles inherent to current 3D TV technology, you‘ll be better served overall by the latest 2D TV innovations.

Perhaps someday truly immersive, glasses-free 3D could transform the market and our home theaters. But we likely have a long wait before that technology materializes in an affordable consumer product, if it ever does.

In the meantime, enjoy the awesome quality and capabilities of today‘s first-rate 2D TVs – without the eye strain and headaches of yesteryear‘s 3D.