Samsung’s 19-year reign as the world’s leading TV brand is under its most serious threat yet, as Chinese rival TCL accelerates its global expansion and closes in on the top spot.
For the first time in nearly two decades, Samsung’s dominance no longer looks assured, with shifting technologies, changing partnerships, and aggressive pricing reshaping the global TV market.
The most significant recent development is TCL’s deepening relationship with Sony — a move that could fundamentally alter the competitive landscape. Under a new joint venture set to take effect in April 2027, TCL will assume a controlling 51% stake in Sony’s TV business. While televisions will continue to be sold under the Sony and Bravia brands, operational control will shift to TCL, giving the Chinese manufacturer unprecedented access to Sony’s premium brand positioning and image-processing expertise.
For Samsung, the timing could not be worse. After holding the global TV crown for nearly 20 years, the company is now facing intense pressure in the very segments it once dominated. TCL’s partnership with Sony positions it to compete head-to-head with Samsung in premium and “affordable premium” categories — areas where Samsung has historically enjoyed strong margins and brand loyalty.
Market data suggests the threat is real and immediate. According to research firm Counterpoint, Samsung remained the world’s leading TV brand in November 2025, but its position is weakening. Shipments declined 3% year-on-year, reducing Samsung’s market share from 18% in November 2024 to 17%. By contrast, TCL surged ahead, narrowing the gap to just a single percentage point.
Despite ongoing softness in the Chinese market, TCL’s global TV shipments rose a striking 20% year-on-year. This growth underscores the company’s expanding competitiveness outside its home market and highlights its success in penetrating key regions such as North America and Europe — traditionally strongholds for Samsung.
The rise of TCL mirrors a dramatic reversal of fortunes in the TV industry. Two decades ago, it was Samsung — alongside LG Electronics — that disrupted the market, pushing out once-dominant Japanese brands including Pioneer, Panasonic, Sharp, Sony, and Toshiba. Pioneer’s Kuro plasma technology was widely regarded as best-in-class, yet even it could not withstand the scale, pricing power, and manufacturing efficiency of the South Korean giants.
Now, history appears to be repeating itself. This time, however, the disruption is being driven by Chinese manufacturers, with TCL at the forefront, leveraging scale, vertical integration, and increasingly sophisticated display technologies. Sony’s role has shifted from market leader to strategic partner — and, ultimately, minority stakeholder.
LG Electronics, meanwhile, is already losing ground. The company faces mounting pressure in the OLED TV segment, long considered its stronghold. Emerging RGB LED technologies — particularly Sony’s upcoming “True RGB” TVs due later this year — threaten to undercut OLED’s advantages in brightness and color volume. As RGB LED matures, LG’s reliance on OLED could become a vulnerability rather than a strength.
Samsung, while still significantly larger than TCL in revenue terms, owes much of that advantage to its high-end TV mix. However, that gap could narrow quickly if TCL successfully positions Sony at the very top of the premium TV market, using the Bravia brand to attract consumers who may previously have defaulted to Samsung’s flagship models.
While TCL surges forward, fellow Chinese brand Hisense is beginning to show signs of strain. Counterpoint reports that Hisense retained its position as the world’s third-largest TV brand, but shipments declined 13% year-on-year. Analysts attribute this downturn largely to Hisense’s heavy reliance on the Chinese market, which contracted sharply in 2025.
In the first half of 2025, China accounted for 27% of Hisense’s total TV shipments. During that period, the domestic market suffered a steep 24% year-on-year decline, disproportionately impacting Hisense’s overall performance. Unlike TCL, which has aggressively diversified its geographic footprint, Hisense remains more exposed to fluctuations at home.
Counterpoint also noted that U.S. retail giant Walmart has emerged as the world’s fifth-largest TV player when its in-house brands, Vizio and Onn, are included — further intensifying competition in the lower-to-mid price segments where Samsung once enjoyed significant volume leadership.
Technologically, TCL’s momentum is being driven by its dominance in miniLED. The company has steadily refined the technology, making backlighting slimmer and more energy-efficient while dramatically increasing the number of dimming zones. These advances have significantly narrowed the performance gap between LCD-based TVs and more expensive display technologies.
TCL is also expected to become a major force in RGB LED, a segment that could reshape the high-end TV market over the next several years. Continued investment in miniLED innovation is set to extend through 2026, further strengthening TCL’s competitive position against Samsung.
Looking ahead, Counterpoint Research Director Bob O’Brien believes Samsung will retain its leadership position in 2026 — but only just. Competitive pressure, particularly from Chinese brands, is set to intensify across all major segments.
“Samsung will remain the global TV market leader in 2026,” O’Brien said, “but Chinese brands such as TCL and Hisense will continue to rapidly expand their presence. Growth in high-demand categories like MiniLED and mid-to-large screen sizes will significantly increase competitive pressure.”
For Samsung, the warning signs are clear. What once appeared to be an unassailable lead is now being steadily eroded. As TCL surges and Hisense stumbles, the global TV market is entering a new phase — one where Samsung must fight harder than ever to defend a crown it has worn for nearly two decades.
