3D TV takes home viewing to new level

MANILA, Philippines - About 500,000 units of 3D TV are ready for initial roll out this year, sending the global appliance retail industry quivering with excitement, and reverberating all the way to the Philippines.

“We are beginning to see a new era in home viewing. 2010 is not just about wider or clearer TV or better sound. The competition has been taken to a new level — it’s about experience,” says Samie Lim, president of Automatic Centre, the appliance authority that boasts of a 60-year track record in appliance retail in the country.

Lim was recently at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada and experienced for himself the appliance retail industry’s anticipation for the latest innovation in electronics, especially with 3D TV.

As of 2009, a Filipino household owns 1.2 TV units, with the average Filipino families spending at least four hours watching TV everyday. TV also comprises 80.4 percent of the average annual electric consumption among the lower income households.

Latest NEDA figures also show that sales of household appliances in the Philippines have been on a steady climb with three percent growth in January 2010, with mid-priced brands maintaining a strong foothold. At least 30 percent of total household appliance sales are from TV.

The steady climb is also propped up by the OFWs’ demand for real estate, which is at least 30 percent, according to an independent research company.

The Koreans have arrived

At the CES in Las Vegas, it was revealed that in the US, Samsung and Sony occupy the first and second spots, respectively, in ‘’Television Total’’ category with almost $10 billion in total TV sales for the period January to October 2009.

The same report also revealed that Samsung and Sony have clinched the first and second spots in the LCD TV sales category, while Panasonic and Samsung occupied the first and second places in the Plasma TV sales category.

‘’This shows that the Koreans have arrived as far as manufacturing televisions is concerned. China is fast catching up with the emergence of new brands that are getting better in quality,’’ Lim says.

The said manufacturing companies are also out to outdo one another in the 3D TV category. Sony will launch 3D TV that connects to the Internet, allows videoconferencing; and has SD slots where viewers can see recordings on high definition (HD). Samsung’s version will feature auto conversion that supports both 3D content as well as 2D content rendered in 3D.

Spurred by Hollywood’s 3Ds success at the Cineplex, retail appliance brands are bracing themselves for the competition – with slimmer 3D TVs that provide an immersive experience. Last year, 3D movies took in a big haul with $1.3B versus $307.M tally in 2008 – and this was even before “Avatar”.

“Due to the housing boom; the increasing number of people wanting to be entertained at home; the wider selection of affordable panel TVs; and the large number of households that wants to upgrade their tube-type TV to a panel TV, retail outlets see a jump of at least 10 percent in TV sales this year but the increase still largely depends on how fast awareness can be generated in the market for new models, such as 3D TVs,” says Lim. “LEDs and LCDs wil still remain as this year’s top-sellers. 3D TVs will be a must-have for the high-income early adapters. When the prices start to become affordable, 3D TVs will start to flood the middle-income homes by 2011. By 2012, even the lower income household can afford to buy a 3D TV. With all these TV models out in the market, it is important for consumers to be armed with the right knowledge to make the best choice by visiting an established retailer.’’