JAN. 5, 2010 • In a new joint venture, Discovery Comm. Inc., Sony Corp. plus Imax Corp. have announced their intention to launch a 3D cable television channel during 2011. Many consumer electronics firms such as Sony plan to release 3D enable TVs in the coming years. The 3D channel does not have a name yet, but the three equal partners plan on airing 3D programming 24 hours a day.

Impact: Consumer electronics makers are swiftly gearing up to deliver 3D-enabled televisions in large numbers by 2011. Panasonic is boasting about selling 1 million such devices during the next 12 months, and the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) estimates that 4.3 million 3D TVs will be sold during 2010. Such ambitions are severely optimistic, however. Plenty of fingers will be pointed at Avatar’s $1 billion-plus in theatrical receipts over three weeks in release as proof that 3D has arrived. But we suspect that film would have grossed as much without 3D. Further. we doubt there are legions of consumers frothing at the mouth to purchase a 3D TV and fiddle with 3D glasses for prolonged viewings. HDTV sales have exploded during the last three years as prices have dropped below $2,000. Yet by the middle of 2009, household penetration in the U.S. had only reached 38%, according to the CEA. At around $4,000, 3D is unlikely to sell many of these sets. Neither will the availability of one dedicated 3D channel.