Toshiba eyes glasses-free 3D television revolution

Electronics giant Toshiba will later this year begin selling large-screen 3D televisions that dispose of the need to use special glasses as it looks to increase its TV sales by as much as a third.

The Japanese group, whose products range from household appliances to nuclear power stations, has already launched 12-inch and 20-inch versions of its glasses-free 3D TV in Japan.

The need for special eyeware is considered a major factor hindering sales of 3D TVs, but rival companies such as Sony have argued that the viewing angle for glasses-free technology is too restrictive.

Undaunted, Toshiba is to start selling large-screen glasses-free models in its 2011 financial year and also plans to begin marketing the groundbreaking devices beyond its home turf.

Speaking at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) being staged in Las Vegas, Atsushi Murasawa, Toshiba's head of visual products, said initial reaction to the new sets had been favourable.

The company will be showing off prototypes of 56-inch and 65-inch glasses-free TVs at CES and will probably launch two models, one over 40 inches and another over 50 inches, a Toshiba spokesman said.

"These will not only be for the Japanese market, but also America, Europe and China," added Murasawa.

He gave no details on launch dates or prices for the new products.

Toshiba makes LCD screens in-house for its small glasses-free 3D TV models, but the company said it would need to work with an external supplier for the larger screens.

It also sells 3D-capable televisions for use with customary glasses, along the lines of those offered by rivals.

Toshiba has set an ambitious target for a one-third increase in its TV unit sales for the financial year starting in April, to 20 million.

The Japanese conglomerate is seeking to boost television sales in developing countries and to grab a 10 per cent share of the United States TV market, compared with about 7 or 8 per cent at present, Murasawa said.

The CES, which attracts more than 2,000 trade exhibitors and tens of thousands of delegates, is a showcase for the sort of gadgets and gizmos that manufacturers hope will dominate sales next Christmas.

The technology on display is a pointer towards the scale of consumer spending for 2011.

New tablet-style computers are set to feature highly at this year's show.

Taiwan's Asustek Computer said it would begin selling its first tablet model this month for $999 (645) to $1,099, joining a crowded market.

The 12.1-inch "Eee Pad Slate", more expensive than Apple's iPad, has an Intel Core processor for greater computing power and runs on Microsoft Windows 7, chairman Johnny Shih said at CES."If you would like the most professional power, full Windows productivity, full Windows compatibility, this is it," added Shih. "No compromise. It's a PC, but not very PC-like."

A growing number of Asian and US technology companies hope to take advantage of the popularity of Apple's iPad. The tablets, with their bright LCD touchscreens and longer battery lives, have hurt sales of regular laptop computers.

Investors have responded by piling into shares of key Asian PC and niche component makers as they bet on robust demand for a new generation of devices hoping to emulate the success of Apple's already iconic product.