With the first release of 3D TV’s onto the mainstream consumer market, it was expected that a set would find its way into a high proportion of homes around the world, making a natural progression as the next form of viewing technology to penetrate the consumer market. However, despite the hype, 3D TV flopped, and manufacturers along with all the advertising publicity, have failed, quite monumentally, to inject anything like the initially expected profitable return on investment.

What does this mean for consumers and why should they care? Well, the one positive to come out of this is the huge savings you can now make should you choose to purchase a 3D TV. Recent figures have shown that in the last 12 months, prices have dropped by around 33% on an average set, with one study citing the drop of a 55″ 1080p 3D LED TV from Feb 2011 to Feb 2012, showing how prices plummeted, starting at $1400 and dropping to less than $700. As unlikely as it sounds this is still bad news for those who thought they’d bagged a real bargain at last years “cut prices”, as now common wisdom suggests that prices are set to continue to fall considerably, making the extent of the savings to be made quite considerable.

If you are considering buying then we strongly recommend that you hold off for another couple of months if possible, perhaps until the London Olympics, which will be shown in 3D, providing the perfect place to witness the full effects of this technology at the worlds biggest sporting event. Some superb bargains are just waiting to be struck and you can take full advantage of this in the coming months, bagging a 3D TV at a fraction of the price many would originally have expected to pay.

What about the future of 3D?

Although 3D TV has not caught on in the way it was expected, there is still hope, and with the introduction of the first glasses free 3D TV (autostereoscopic) onto the consumer market recently, enthusiasm for this technology may well heighten rapidly.Perhaps the central reason for the failure of 3D was the need to wear clunky and often expensive glasses which many complained of ruining the experience. Although there are now lighter and cheaper 3D glasses, the elimination of them altogether is expected to herald a new age in 3D and it is likely that in the not too distant future every TV set will be capable of employing 3D technology, becoming the accepted norm amongst the expected features of a television.

Robert is a guest writer who is also a huge fan of 3D TV. He makes sure to stay informed of all the latest updates in technology and is keen to view the upcoming 2012 Olympics in 3D.