IMS Research Analyst Blog

Three months ago, Samsung Electronics America SVP of Home Entertainment  Marketing John Revie proclaimed at our TV 3.0: Future of TVs Conference at SID, which he keynoted, that the 3D TV market would reach 4 million units in the USA in 2010. This was a bold statement as some research firms were expecting less than half of that number worldwide. However, he knew something that they didn’t. He knew that Samsung would be introducing an entry-level 3D, 50” Plasma TV for under $1000 around now. In fact, at the Samsung Experience event on August 11th, Samsung announced this set, the PN50C490, to the world at a $1099 price. However, it is already available online below $1000 and is expected to be available for under $1000 in the clubs. 

Samsung is the first and only major TV brand to have an entry level 3D TV product for under $1000 and they should certainly drive a lot of volume. Most brands have positioned their 3D products at the top of their product lines and Samsung had until now. Samsung was the only brand to recognize that an entry level product would be critical to the emergence of 3D. At the same time, Samsung has consistently treated plasma as an entry level product to its LED TVs. Sony and Panasonic don’t have that luxury with Sony not participating in plasma and Panasonic not participating in large-screen LCD.

The awareness of this product is one of the reasons IMS Research came out with its 3D TV forecast of 6M worldwide for 2010 in June and is sticking to it.   

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