Disney CEO Bob Iger defended 3D and talked cloud movie storage during a Thursday morning session at AllThingsD's D9 tech conference.

Basking in strong global box office for "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," he said that "it's way too early to write 3D's epitaph," as some have been doing in the way of diminishing ratio of 3D to 2D attendance domestically. But he cautioned the studios need to use the format smartly.

According to an account posted on AllThingsD, he said that "you can't hide it" when a 3D movie doesn't hold up to its premium pricing.

He acknowledged at the outset of the session that digital platforms are disrupting business in Hollywood, predicting that tablet computers such as the iPad are going to revolutionize the filmed entertainment business. He praised Netflix as a rich platform and dismissed concerns that it will become too powerful.

Iger did, however, concede that the movie business has become less forgiving. "There's no room anymore for mediocrity, and failure is more evident than it ever was," he said.

He said he was not going to be part of Apple's supposed iCloud launch Monday, but stressed the need for consumers to be able to move content from clouds to different devices.

As for his relationship with Apple: It's not that special, really.

"We've not said yes to everything that Apple has wanted, and vice versa."

Iger's relationship with Steve Jobs, on the other hand…

Updated 2:20 PT: AllThingsD has now posted an edited version of the interview, which can be viewed here.