With the release of Nintendo’s 3DS handheld system last month, we got our first look at a portable device that can display 3D without the need for glasses. Now it looks like that technology will soon be turning up in a number of other places as well, including airplanes and the backs of car seats. A company called MasterImage has recently been working to bring 3D displays to smartphones and tablets, with the Hitashi Wooo phone being the first to use their “cell-matrix parallax barrier” tech. Now they’re claiming that they’ve had strong interest from airlines and auto manufacturers as well. Apparently we can’t escape the proliferation of 3D even while flying high above the clouds.

The news comes courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, where they note that distributors are looking for any new opportunities for revenue from 3D movies. As far as cars go, it seems to be primarily luxury car manufacturers that are interested at this point, and I’m assuming they would be installed on the backs of the front seats in order to keep kids entertained. However, it probably makes a lot of sense for airlines where additional high-tech amenities can be a big selling point for passengers. Even if they do sign a deal, however, we shouldn’t expect 3D displays to show up in airplanes for another two or three years due to the longer design cycles for aircrafts.

While I’ve been impressed with the tech behind the 3DS, I’m not quite sure I’d want to watch a full movie on such a device. At the very least, I hope they plan to include a similar slider so that the 3D can be disabled if necessary. Where do we draw the line though? Does every single screen really need a 3D display? Soon we’re all going to need to carry around a pair of these 2D glasses just so we can avoid this crap. What do you think, are you excited about the possibility of watching movies in 3D on your next flight?