Sky, one of 3D TV’s most ardent supporters in the UK, has now ditched its dedicated 3D channel in is perhaps the final nail in the coffin for the future of the technology in the region.
3D technology has been struggling almost as soon as it was announced, with the push from the likes of Sky and Sony mostly falling on deaf ears. With the tech showing no signs of a sudden revival, Sky has pulled its dedicated 3D channel, with all 3D video now being moved out of sight and into the company’s On Demand service.
Here’s the company’s statement regarding the change:
“From June Sky 3D is going fully on demand. From the latest 3D movie premieres like Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men Days of Future Past and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, to the very best in natural history with documentaries like Natural History Museum Alive, it will all be ready and waiting for our customers to view whenever it suits them.
“The changes to 3D are all part of making our on demand offering a fantastic destination for customers. Other recent enhancements that benefit millions of connected customers include putting on demand content front and centre on the Sky+ TV Guide, adding more of the very best Box Sets such as Prison Break and Game of Thrones, and securing rights to even more shows and sport.”
It makes sense for this to happen, though it’s still a shame that 3D TVs didn’t catch on as much as they were predicted to. As an owner 3D TV myself, the tech was surprisingly impressive in practice. Having viewed the majority of the London 2012 Olympics in 3D, and with Sony releasing a number of games for the PS3 that supported 3D, if more people would have taken the risk of purchasing the 3D TV they would have discovered that it’s worth the investment, despite there not having been a lot of support for it.
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The Olympics were a sight to behold in 3D, while games such as Motorstorm Apocalypse proved to be an excellent showcase of what the tech could bring to the table and it actively improved my experience with many games. In fact, I penned an ode to gaming in 3D back in 2012 in a post titled ‘3D Gaming is a Gimmick That Shouldn’t Die,’ such was the extent of my love for it.
It’s a shame that it never really caught on, but I suppose there’s an inherent issue with 3D tech that no amount of marketing can solve: You have to see it in order to believe in it. With so few 3D TV tech demos being made available in the UK, it’s no wonder people never really embraced it. Hopefully when autostereoscopic 3D, the glasses-free 3D boasted by the likes of the Nintendo 3DS, becomes the common standard, consumers will be more wiling to take a chance on it.
Photo: Getty Images
