/ 06.17.2010 12:00AM
World Cup Drives 3DTV Set Sales in Korea
SEOUL: Sales of 3DTV sets have taken off in South Korea
since the start of the World Cup last Friday. Samsung said it sold more than
6,000 3DTVs there in the first two weeks of June. That pace compares to sales
of 20,000 3DTV sets in March, April and May. A company official told Agence
France-Presse that the international soccer tournament in South African
is driving demand for 3D sets. He said global sales figures were not yet
available.
Samsung started selling 3DTV sets in Korea in February, and in the United
States a month later. It reports having taken 1 million orders for the sets
thus far this year. Component shortages have constrained deliveries to around
600,000, around 30,000 of which are expected to be sold in Korea.
LG Electronics, also based in South Korea, also reported increased domestic
sales for June, shipping 3,000 3DTV sets on its home turf. LG expects to sell
10,000 3DTV sets domestically before introducing them into the U.S. and
European markets, according to
Asia
Pulse Data Source.
Market researcher
iSuppli
predicts global shipments of 3DTV sets will reach 4.2 million units this year;
12.9 million next year; and 78.1 million in 2015. By comparison, shipments of
all types of LCD TV sets are expected to reach 170 million this year, with LED
set sales reaching 26 million. The Consumer Electronics Association anticipates
shipment of just over 1 million 3DTV sets in the United States this year.
-- Deborah D. McAdams