3-D television was heralded as the breakthrough technology of the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show . Hot on the heels of James Cameron 's eye-opening Avatar , 3-D HDTVs were everywhere on the show floor . One year later , at CES 2011 , 3-D was back again -- this time iterating . We saw bigger 3D HDTVs , 3-D displays that did n't require special glasses , and camcorders that captured 3-D content . But where is 3-D now ? It 's certainly not showing up big on our CES 2012 radar , and now looks like over-hyped technology in hindsight -- especially to those of us who always thought 3-D 's natural home was in the movie theater , not the living room . Indeed , a variety of obstacles -- high prices , a lack of 3-D content , and uncomfortable viewing experiences -- have kept 3-D TV adoption in the single digits nationwide . Manufacturers and content providers are working to address these issues , but one has to wonder if 3-D was nothing but a flash in the CES pan -- a technology story rather than anything consumers actually wanted . In 2010 , consumers purchased a paltry 1.1 million 3-D TV units , and although sales have grown in the two years since , the widespread 3-D fervor that TV manufacturers were anticipating never took root . According to a January Display Search report , just more than 23 million 3-D TVs were shipped in 2011 worldwide , with only 3.6 million shipped in the U.S . Display Search analyst Paul Gagnon says that U.S. household penetration for 3-D TVs is at about 3 % . `` To be fair , 3-D TVs have only been available for sale in a significant way for about 18 months , so that 's why the penetration is so low , '' Gagnon says . `` That said , it 's still lower than what many in the industry had hoped for . '' Markets like China and western Europe are seeing far more enthusiasm for 3-D TV than in North America , but worldwide adoption is still likely less than 2 % . So what 's to blame ? The content , for one . `` We have disappointed our audience multiple times now , and because of that I think there is genuine distrust -- whereas a year and a half ago , there was genuine excitement , enthusiasm and reward for the first group of 3-D films that actually delivered a quality experience , '' Dreamworks animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter . After `` Avatar , '' a string of unsuccessful , rushed-to-market 3-D flicks -- we 're looking at you , `` Clash of the Titans '' -- zoomed to theaters hoping to cash in on the craze . Moviegoers were left with a bad taste in their mouths ( and oftentimes headaches , too , as 3-D viewing can cause eyestrain ) . Since then , better-quality 3-D films like `` Tron : Legacy , '' and , more recently , `` Tin Tin '' and `` Hugo , '' have tried to improve 3-D 's image . Meanwhile , small-screen content providers have branched out to provide live and on-demand 3-D offerings . Currently , there are 55 3-D channels worldwide , including ESPN 3-D. Another 35 channels offer 3-D content on-demand . If content and a disillusioned audience are the biggest problem , that 's bad news for manufacturers : They have zero control over the content side of the equation . To this end , 3-D TV manufacturers are doing whatever they can to make the 3-D viewing experience as pleasing and trouble-free as possible . This includes doing away with uncomfortable , unattractive 3-D glasses , which have also been cited in studies as barriers to consumer adoption . LG , for one , has announced it 's making 3-D glasses that are lighter and more stylish . But even handsome 3-D specs ca n't mitigate the headaches and fatigue suffered by some viewers of 3-D content , or the high prices of 3-D TVs . So , yes , 3-D TVs are expensive . And they can cause headaches . And they are n't supported by a lot of quality content . All of which begs the question : Who 's buying these things at all ? The existing sales , however paltry , can be attributed to consumer desire to purchase high-end TVs . Consumers do n't really want 3-D specifically , but if they want that priciest , top-of-the-line unit , they 'll receive 3-D capability whether they like it or not . `` Sometimes consumers are even unaware [ that they 're getting a 3-D set ] at the time of purchase , '' Futuresource Consulting 's Fiona Hoy said . Whatever the reason for purchase , the most recent studies indicate consumers are slowly warming up to 3-D. An October report from the Digital Entertainment Group found that the majority of 3-D TV owners say the experience is positive : 88 % of those surveyed rated 3-D picture quality positively , and 85 % of those 3-D TV owners prefer to watch more than half of their programming in 3-D. As prices come down , more content becomes available , and 3-D glasses improve ( or are replaced by glasses-free technology ) , 3-D TV adoption will only increase . Whether we reach the near 50 % adoption rates that have been projected for 2014 and 2015 is yet to be seen . But whether you like it or not , 3-D does not appear to be in its death throes just yet . Yes , we 'll see new 3-D displays and accessories at CES next week , but you can rest assured the manufacturers ' over-reaching hype campaigns are over .
3-D television now looks like over-hyped technology in hindsight . only 3.6 million 3-D TVs were shipped in One year later worldwide , 23 million shipped in China U.S. household penetration for 3-D TVs is at less than 2 % .