Sony predicts 2.5 million 3D sales

Electronics manufacturer Sony has predicted it will sell 25 million 3D television sets during the next financial year.

Yoshihisa Ishida, head of the company’s television division, told reporters yesterday in Tokyo the company will sell about 25 million in the year ending March 2011.

The demand for 3D television sets has grown over the past few months, fuelled by the release of James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar. Sony, which is one of the three biggest TV manufacturers, expects 10% of its TV units sold in the next year to be 3D-compatible.

However, analysts have said the format may not take off as quickly as expected. There is still minimal content available for 3D viewing, and some still say the feature is a gimmick.