Currently Panasonic is still negotiating with Fox Home Entertainment to get the rights to the blockbuster movie Avatar, with a local Fox Entertainment executive telling ChannelNews that no deal has yet been done with Panasonic Australia.

Samsung, which is set to be the first vendor to deliver 3D TVs to Australian stores, will give away the 3D Disc with every TV sold. The company is also set to move to only selling LED and Plasma TV display screens.

At Samsung‘s European press conference in Vienna last night, the company said that that it is going head-first into 3D, and intends to be the first vendor to market a 3D ecosystem that includes its U7000 televisions and its 3D Blu-ray player, the BDP6900.

“3D is not a niche or novelty product for Samsung, that is why we have 20 3D TVs at launch and why we are first to market,” said Samsung‘s Michael Zoller about Samsung‘s 3D plans.

Some were predicting that Avatar via a Panasonic deal would be the first 3D Blu-ray movie to hit Australian stores; however, Samsung insiders are saying that they are confident that Monsters vs Aliens will be the first in Australia.

Samsung‘s U7000, U8000 and U9000 series of 3D TVs use active-shutter technology. Samsung is also offering 3D in plasma form, with its PDP7000 range.

The new Samsung Australia range is expected to go on sale in April, with some stores getting access to stock in March 2010.

In Europe, Samsung have made a promise that every high-end Samsung TV will have 3D capability.

Among the Samsung range to be sold in Australia will be the LED9000 with its LED screen and less than a third of an inch thickness. It will be available in at least 40- and 63-inch sizes and be capable of converting 2D content to 3D due to the inclusion of RealD technology.

Source: Current.com.au, David Richards