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The price of big-screen televisions is in freefall as TV makers prepare to sell home-theatre lovers on the next big thing: 3D television for the home, reports The Courier Mail.
Research from GfK Australia shows the average price of LED-backlit TVs dropped more than $1900 in the past year, and TVs bought online fell $600 on average, according to price comparison website GetPrice.
With 3D TVs due to arrive in two months, consumers looking for future-proof screens might be well advised to wait.
GfK retail and technology spokesman Neil Frackiewicz said TV prices fell significantly in the past year, with the average price of panel TVs down $181.
But LED-backlit LCD TV prices fell even further, dropping $1935 on average as the technology became more popular.
GetPrice marketing manager Justus Hammer said a similar trend occurred in TV sales online, where the average sales price dropped from more than $2300 to less than $1800 between September and January.
The fierce discounting started as a pre-Christmas campaign, Mr Hammer said, and is continuing so retailers can sell old stock to make way for new 3D TVs.
"We've seen searches for 3D TVs really going up lately," Mr Hammer said.
"Some consumers are already starting to look for them and TV makers want to get rid of their old models."
The new wave of 3D TVs is due to arrive in Australia soon with 3D Blu-ray DVD players and movies to become available in June.
Until then, 3D TV owners will have to rely on broadcasters to transmit shows in 3D.
British pay-TV provider BSkyB last month broadcast the world's first 3D soccer match, but Foxtel chief executive Kim Williams said the company would not test 3D TV broadcasts or unveil pricing for it until next year.
A Samsung spokesman confirmed the company would launch a new-generation, 3D-ready TV in the country in "early April", with other firms including Sony, JVC, LG and Panasonic due to follow suit in June.
Panasonic consumer electronics group director Paul Reid said the company planned to release full high-definition 3D TVs and 3D Blu-ray DVD players mid-year.
Mr Reid confirmed these 3D TVs would attract a "premium price", but he said that would pay for a significant leap forward in technology, including powered 3D glasses that deliver different high-definition images for each eye.
