Passive eyewear will emerge as the preferred choice of the consumer from the confusion around the 3D eyewear market, according to Oakley chief executive Colin Baden.
Baden stated his belief to Optician at the re-launch of the Oakley store in Covent Garden attended by Oakley-sponsored cricketer Kevin Pietersen and cyclist Mark Cavendish.
His comments followed proposals from the Consumer Electronics Association of America to standardise 3D active eyewear to ensure all 3D active glasses sold are compatible with all 3D TVs.
Baden said the design limitations imposed by the electronic components of active eyewear, coupled with the higher price tag, means consumers will naturally opt for passive glasses.
He also observed that wearers would be unable to use active 3D glasses in the cinema, unlike passive glasses. He reported that a significant number of people became nauseous from viewing 3D media with active glasses.
Despite the imminent arrival of prescription 3D eyewear, Baden said the market was not yet ready for such a step.
'Developing a prescription eyewear platform is relatively easy in terms of technology, but the consumer is still incredibly confused about this new technology - what he should buy, where does it work, where is it going,' he said.
Baden said he was certain mass adoption of 3D technology would happen and would be driven by the volume of 3D content being produced, but said he was unsure of whether this would happen in 2012 or 2013.
He added that it would be easier to provide a prescription platform through passive technology rather than active.
Speaking about the form in which 3D eyewear might begin to make inroads into the market, Baden said: 'I think the optical industry has a whole new conversation to have with the consumer about 3D eyewear and whether it's interchangeable or a permanent article that they purchase.'
Baden also said he did not think 3D glasses that also worked as sunglasses would be the breakthrough product.
'If a company says that a glass that produces a passive delivery system can work equally well as sunglasses, it's not sound science,' he said.
Baden elaborated: 'Polarised sun is linear and the idea behind it [polarised sunwear] is to cut glare, but a circular polarised filter will not cut glare with the efficiency of a linear polariser.
'It cannot do both jobs well,' he said.