Samsung downplays Sony-TCL TV venture threat

Samsung Electronics does not expect a planned TV venture between Sony and TCL to pose a threat when it launches by 2027, citing Sony’s smaller shipment base and Samsung’s own competitiveness.

Samsung held 29.1% of the global TV market by revenue in 2025 and 54.3% of the premium segment above US$2,500, while its shipment share was 15%, while TCL is close in shipment share.

Samsung will broaden its non-premium TV lineup this year to lift volume as competition rises.

Sales and shipments could improve while the broader market may recover in H2 if Middle East tensions ease and World Cup 2026 could boost demand.

🔗 Source: Yonhap

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The new venture could prove a larger threat than Samsung suggests

Sigmaintell Consulting estimates a joint Sony-TCL TV business could reach about a 16.7% global TV market share, which could put it ahead of Samsung 1.
Samsung says it can compete, yet its VD·DA division, the company’s visual display and digital appliances business, reported falling revenue and a third-quarter operating loss near 100 billion won (US$68 million), according to Digital Today 2.
The move fits a trend where Chinese or Taiwan-linked firms take over long-established Japanese TV brands, including Hisense buying Toshiba’s television business in 2017 and Foxconn Technology Group, the Taiwanese contract manufacturing giant also known as Hon Hai, owning Sharp 1.

The deal accelerates TV’s transformation from hardware to media platform

The venture adds momentum to competition over advertising platforms rather than only screen technology 3.
TV hardware now doubles as a channel for homescreen ad inventory and user data, which pushes Samsung and LG to protect their edge in advertising and connected TV software platforms 3.
Parks Associates wrote that shared operations could steer one TV operating system strategy, likely leaning on Google TV, Google’s smart TV software platform, to cut costs 4.
Parks Associates also said the combined company may build its own TV operating system or buy one to keep more service revenue 4.