SNL Kagan: U.S. 3DTV penetration minimal

SNL Kagan is the latest to weigh in with a less-than-stellar assessment of the 3DTV market. The research firm said that by the end of this year only about two percent of all TV-owning U.S. households with have a 3DTV, though growth will ramp up in coming years as penetration grows to five percent in 2012 and 21 percent by 2015.

The assessment follows a similar report on the U.K. market from Informa Telecoms & Media, which questioned whether or not 3DTV is "the next big thing" in TV. Informa said adoption of the technology may grow simply because TV manufacturers begin embedding it in more TVs.

SNL Kagan offers a much brighter outlook for Internet-connected TVs and related devices, with about 14 percent by the end of this year, 23 percent by next year and a high as 51 percent by 2015.

It seems like 3DTV expectations have been hitching a ride on a yo-yo for months now. It might be time to realize that the technology will not be an overnight success, but does have long-term potential. SNL Kagan does note that 3DTV's evolution does not appear to be moving any more slowly than the HDTV or similar TV technology evolutions.

For more:
- read this Broadcasting & Cable report

Related articles:
Informa said 3DTV uptake has been slow in the U.K.
Toshiba said you won't have 3DTV glasses to kick around anymore