Although the recent bout of 3D hype has tapered off a little in other arenas, phone manufacturers have begun loading their releases with the technology. All the Asian manufacturers seem to be interested in at least testing the waters, and following the (surprising) lead of Sharp last year, HTC, LG and now Samsung are all in the game. But the longevity of the technology is questionable. While phone screens are bigger and brighter than ever, do people really need such technology in their pockets? Let's look at some of the new releases to see if it's just another terminal phone gimmick, or really the future of the game.

HTC EVO 3D

While Sharp was first with its release of the Aquos as early as last year, it was only for Japanese eyes. So first on the world stage was the HTC EVO 3D. Its screen was slightly bigger than the Sharp's at 4.3 inches, which has become standard. But it still sports better resolution than its rivals with 540x960 pixels. The other big point of note is its hefty 1.2GHz dual-core processor and longer battery than its HTC stable mates.

A common criticism is its inadequate internal memory of 4GB, with only 1GB of that being available to the user. And although it is probably the biggest selling point of the phone, the 3D aspect isn't its real strength. It did however open the door for 3D technology to enter the smartphone market.

LG OPTIMUS 3D P920

LG rolled out its 3D phone soon after HTC, and it sports a 1GHz TI OMAP4 processor using dual-core technology. Again, the bumped spec is welcome, and suddenly the pair of five-megapixel cameras capable of capturing HD 720 in 3D (1080p in 2D) seem like more of a bonus than an essential fixture. The screen is the same size as the EVO 3D at 4.3 inches, but the resolution drops a little to 480x800, just enough to take the edge off the 3D experience. An improvement is the 8GB internal memory _ necessary for bulky 3D media files.

However, in terms of 3D experience, it only offers single-person viewing for 3D with restricted viewing angles similar to the EVO 3D, so unless you have a 3D TV hooked up via the nifty HDMI port, it's a visual party for one only. And the problem of size continues, as to generate a decent 3D experience, a large screen is needed. So unless it's a dedicated 3D multimedia device, again, as with the EVO 3D, it's hard to justify the pocket bulk.

SAMSUNG GALAXY 3D

Not to be left out of the action, Samsung has promised to add a 3D model to its Galaxy range by the end of the year. It's still under wraps, but the specs being bandied around sound similar to the competition above.

The Galaxy 3D will reportedly feature a similar 4.3 inch touch screen with a 480x800 resolution. It will apparently get a kick from a speedy 1.2 GHz Exynos processor, and memory and storage are expected to be beyond that of the HTC EVO 3D and LG Optimus 3D. It will also benefit from access to an improved OS, perhaps Android Ice Cream. Pricing has been set.

VERDICT

In concept, 3D can obviously add a dimension of depth to a navigation screen, so if an OS dedicated to it were to appear, things would improve and put Samsung in the driver's seat.

But the images don't exactly ''pop'' out of the screen yet, and it's also about finding a balance between a screen that is large enough to allow 3D viewing, but not so big it overfills your pocket _ no mean feat. Perhaps phones aren't quite ready for 3D technology?

Meanwhile, a positive side effect has seen the incorporation of 3D technology up the graphics capabilities of phones, which is always welcome. But 3D won't rule the game until viewing angles, resolution and software improves. Until that happens, HTC is winning the 3D race for now, but only by a head.