The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has predicted that there will be:

• 2.1 Million 3D TVs in 2010
• 6 Million 3DTVs in 2011
• Smartphones will generate $26 billion in 2011
• 54 million Smartphones will ship in 2010
• 66 million Smartphones are expected to ship in 2011

DisplaySearch (an NPD company) announced the findings of its Quarterly TV Design and Features Report. The firm estimates that:

• 3D TVs will grow from 0.2 million units in 2009 to
• 1.2 million units in 2010
• 15.6 million units in 2013
• 64 million units in 2018

Figure 1: DisplaySearch 3D TV Set Forecast

Source: DisplaySearch Quarterly TV Design and Features Report

DisplaySearch forecasts that over 70 million connected TVs will be shipped in 2012—up from around 15 million in 2009.

Figure 2: DisplaySearch Connected TV Forecast

Source: DisplaySearch Quarterly TV Design and Features Report

Insight Media, predicts the stereoscopic 3D market will grow to more than 40 million 3D-capable displays by 2014.

The 2009 Stereoscopic 3D Gaming Report is $5,000 and provides a thorough analysis of all aspects of 3D gaming and 3D display infrastructure. In addition to the forecasts, results of testing 24 3D games on three different 3D monitors are included in the 330-page report. For more information visit: http://www.insightmedia.info/reports/2009s3ddetails.php

A recent study by In-Stat, predicts mass adoption of Ultra HD TVs will stretch into the 2020s. Ultra HD comes in: 4K (3840×2160) 4x 1080p resolution; and 8K (7680×4320) 16x 1080p resolution. In-Stat also predicted:

• 40% of North American homes will have Ultra HD sets by 2025
• 28.2% of European homes will have Ultra HD sets by 2025
• 20 million Ultra HD sets will be shipped in North America by 2025
• It will take 5-10 years before displays reach 5% of all homes
• Broadcasters won’t begin offering Ultra HD content until 2017
• A number of consumer-electronics manufacturers are already exploring the higher formats, and theatrical film makers are already producing 4K content for digital cinemas.
• Digital cinemas are already exhibiting 4K content and creating infrastructure for 4K and 8K content
• 1080p and 3D content will become more widely distributed before Ultra HD arrives in the home

For game makers, this should give an idea of how much the art requirements are going to change on games such as Modern Warfare 6 and Grand Theft Auto 11 (ok that was a joke).