Maybe Not, or Maybe So: $55 million in 3D stuff sold in quarter

We’ve talked quite a bit about the 3D HDTV movement, and whether it will catch on with consumers. Well, if early reports are any indication, perhaps it has a chance after all. Read this blog post from Engadget that discusses the current numbers:

It’s early days yet, but NPD claims that revenue from US sales of 3D TVs and standalone 3D-capable Blu-ray players has exceeded $55 million in the first three months of availability. Mind you, this steady growth comes despite the absence of some major players. While that number might sound big, it’s tiny in comparison to the total number of TVs sold each month in the US and, according to our friend Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis at NPD, sales are expected to remain small throughout 2010. Regarding those much maligned 3D glasses, only 10% of those surveyed by NPD cited “looking silly” as a main concern. Instead, the biggest concern was not having enough glasses on hand for everyone looking at the set.

We agree that the numbers are small compared to the overall HDTV units sold, but at the same time, its higher than we thought it would be. We’ll keep an eye on things and see how they develop, but its safe to say that the 3D HD movement won’t just die out any time soon.