3DTV to remain a 'novelty' with UK audiences - 3DTV is to remain a “novelty” viewing experience for UK audiences despite the investment broadcasters and manufacturers have put into the extra dimensional tech, industry analysts have claimed.

With 11 million UK households expected to tout a 3D capable TV by 2016, the three dimensional viewing technology will hit the mass market, however, less than half of this figure are expected to utilise the 3D experience, a forecast by Informa Telecoms and Media has revealed.
“3DTV has the backing of the major UK broadcasters like Sky and Virgin, and most recently the BBC announced its plans to show the Wimbledon final in 3D for the first time,” announced Adam Thomas, a Senior Analyst at Informa.

He added: “Despite this, public reaction has been mixed – due to both a lack of content and a simple failure of the public to engage with what is, essentially, a new type of viewing experience.”

Whilst less than half of 3DTV owning consumers are expected to watch 3D content in the future, a reported 90 per cent of the 125,000 early adopters who snapped up a 3D capable TV last year remain an ‘active’ audience for the extra dimensional shows.

Speaking on his belief that 3D ability is more of an industry expectation that a consumer want, Thomas stated: “Irrespective of existing public demand for 3D, major set manufacturers (Samsung, LG, Panasonic, et al) increasingly see 3D capability as a feature that they must include in their sets, or the perception will be that rival manufacturers are producing a technically-superior product (with 3D included).