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Samsung Electronics says Sony-TCL TV venture will not be a threat: 'We have enough to compete'

Published: 15 Apr. 2026, 14:26

Models introduce Samsung Electronics' Micro RGB TV at the company's Gangnam office in southern Seoul on April 15. [NEWS1]

Samsung Electronics voiced confidence in the face of a planned joint venture between global TV manufacturers TCL and Sony, insisting the market impact of the envisioned entity will likely be limited.

“Sony's annual shipments are estimated at 4 million units, about one-tenth of ours. A simple merger alone will not be enough,” said Yong Seok-woo, Samsung Electronics' president and the head of visual display business, during a press conference Wednesday.

“While there would certainly be synergy if TCL's technology were combined with Sony's premium brand value, we have enough to compete on our own merits beyond just technological capabilities,” he added.

TCL and Sony plan to launch the joint venture by 2027, combining TCL's manufacturing scale with Sony's premium brand and audiovisual technologies.

Samsung Electronics accounted for 29.1 percent of the global TV market in 2025 by revenue, including a 54.3 percent share in the premium segment for TVs priced above $2,500, according to Counterpoint Research.

By shipments, however, its share stood at 15 percent, closely trailed by TCL at 13 percent. In December of last year, TCL took the top spot with 16 percent, ahead of Samsung Electronics at 15 percent.

Samsung Electronics said it will expand its non-premium lineup this year to boost volume amid intensifying competition.

“We will reorganize our premium-focused lineup and pay attention to shipment volumes as well,” Yong said. “We expect both sales and shipments to improve.”

He added the global TV market could rebound in the second half if Middle East tensions ease, with the FIFA World Cup 2026 seen as a potential demand driver.

Yonhap