The difference is that I never saw myself ever buying a 3D TV (and always hated 3D cinema), but I consider the possibility of being a late adopter of AR/VR several years from now.
I avoid going to 3D films specifically to avoid wearing the glasses.
But they never got that far. Beyond the gimmick of the 3DS screen, I’ve never seen glasses-less 3D.
Let’s say you’re a couple and you have two pairs of glasses. What happens when you have friends over?
Furthermore - the glasses were not interchangeable between brands of television sets, meaning it’s not like you could just bring a pair and expect them to work.
A VR headset costs $300, and offers a truly unique experience that excites me as a developer and is very interesting as a user.
A 3D TV cost more than a standard HDTV - and never really offered anything that made it worthwhile. IMHO it was DOA.
The existence of VR cafes and interactive installations has already made VR a real ‘thing’. The inexpensive nature of the Oculus Quest is helping that a lot, too.
I actually was annoyed when they removed 3D from their TV lineups. It's not something I used very regularly, but I did enjoy it from time to time. And it was just software, no actual hardware cost added AFAIK. I get that most people didn't use it but at least they should have kept the choice.
I do still watch lots of 2D content using the Quest, though. I like the immersive feel of watching movies and TV on theater-sized screens with none of the visual distractions in my living room.