3-D entertainment has become ubiquitous in the
entertainment industry, but its presence in the home has not grown as much as competing
Korean manufacturers Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Co. would have
liked, reported
The Wall Street Journal.
The companies have competed over which process is best
for consumers: letting the television process the three-dimensional images (LG's
preferred method), or having special viewing glasses do it (Samsung). The arrival
of the 3-D capable television and viewing equipment did not sell well, and
retailers were forced to cut the prices of the stock. The high prices did not
appeal to consumers, as well as the lack of 3-D content available.
Online retailers are taking advantage of this slow growth
and offering discounted television sets that hurt Samsung and LG's chances of
taking back the 3-D television industry. The two companies have clashed over
the two 3-D technology methods, and it culminated in an expletive thrown at LG
engineers by a Samsung executive.
"It's very embarrassing that the No. 1 and No. 2
players are in this fight," said Kwon Young-soo, chief executive of LG
Display Co., which supplies video components to LG and other manufacturers. -- Lindsay Rubino
