Appeared on the Vietnamese market in late 2011, but 3D mobile phones had not attracted users until recently, when the products have become cheaper.

After TV, laptops and 3D game players, smart phone is the next electronic product which joins the 3D technology trend. With the 4 inch screens, users can watch films, pictures and use 3G game apps with the naked eyes, without glasses. Together with dual core mobile phones, 3D smart phones were expected to kick off a new tendency.

However, 3D mobile products were far from becoming a tendency in 2011. An officer of Vien Thong A, a big high tech product distributor, said that 3D mobile phones raised curiosity among users, but the sales of the products were lower than that of other smart phone products.

There were not many choices for users, while the products were really choosy. The smart phone models of LG and HTC were priced at 14-16 million dong. They have powerful configuration and they are high end products.

Vu Hai, the owner of a shop in HCM City, said that the high prices of 3D smart phones are also the barriers that prevent the technology from becoming more popular.

However, things are getting different when manufacturers have launched new models with improvements in technology, and the products have got cheaper.

LG and HTC have reduced the prices of 3D smart phones (without glasses), while lower grade models of Mobiistar have attracted a certain number of users who like the auxiliary features.

Since late 2011, LG has reduced the prices of its 3D models. Optimus 3D is selling at 12 million dong instead of 14 million dong. HTC has recently slashed the price of EVO 3D from 15.9 million dong to 13.9 million dong.

“Though 3D phones are still expensive and they are considered high grade products, but the gap in the prices of 3D phones and others has been narrowed,” noted Nguyen An, the owner of a mobile phone shop on Tran Quang Khai street in district 1 of HCM City.

However, 3D phones have been selling more slowly than other devices with the same configuration but with no 3D feature, such as Galaxy S II, Sensation or Xperia Arc.

Bui Van Hoa, Deputy General Director of Vien Thong A, said that the technology has not “ripe” yet, while products only fit high income earners.

In another market segment, Viet Mobiistar has launched into the market a low cost touch-screen product line. The products are priced 1-1.4 million dong. The major difference between Mobiistar’s products and other models which are five times more expensive than Mobiistar’s is the technology. The low cost products use glasses (anaglyph), while the products show fewer colors.

It is clear that the low cost products aim to the clients with scanty money. Therefore, though using a simple technology, the 3D models still could be sold well last Tet holiday. Meanwhile, the models are hopes to be sold better if the products do not need glasses.

According to Nguyen An, a high-tech product player, the 3D technology may become more popular, which allows to have better product prices in 2012.

“With the first models, manufacturers have to make heavier investments, which lead to the high prices of products. Later, when products have become more popular, when the initial investment capital has been taken back, users will be able to use products with more reasonable prices,” An said.

An hopes that after the MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2012, a lot of new 3D models would be introduced.

Source: VNN