Europe’s largest consumer exhibition, the IFA (International Broadcasting Exhibition) celebrated its 50th fair in Berlin in September 2010. It began in 1924. An early keynote speaker in 1930 was a certain Albert Einstein, claiming that Engineers would change the world. Was he right?
In all the years rarely has there been as much publicity about a broadcast technology as there was for ‘3D-TV’ this year. More or less every set maker had 3D-TV models, and the excitement about 3D extended to some amazingly involving video games (see picture to your right) and Blu Ray.
The three-dimensional excitement is catching on
The ‘push’ by set makers for 3D-TV comes at a time of great competition for the European consumer’s attention, which has brought an annual price erosion rate of about 14%, and also 50% of the entire European set market captured by the two Korean companies, LG and Samsung. Hype about 3D yes, but the public seems to be receptive. 3D sets launched only 2 months, gained 5% of the money Germans spent on television sets. In Spain, 3D-TV sets are even sold without any 3D glasses. Even without any 3D content to watch, the public seems to want to be ready for the future.
The show also saw the launch of a consumer 3D video camera by Panasonic, to add to their ‘prosumer’ model. Also, Sky Germany announced a 3D-TV satellite channel for Germany, to start in October 2010. Time to dig deep into our pockets?