Chinese TV manufacturers launched an offensive with 'RGB mini LED TVs' against South Korean organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TVs at CES 2025 in January. Sony, a Japanese TV manufacturer, also picked RGB LED TVs as its next-generation TV technology. The era of OLED TVs, synonymous with premium TVs, seems to be fading as RGB-based mini and micro LED TVs are becoming the trend.
According to industry sources on the 17th, Sony's management believes that the future TV market will develop based on RGB LEDs and is reportedly significantly increasing research and development (R&D) investments related to this. It is said that they are focusing key engineering personnel on enhancing RGB LED technology, believing the development speed of RGB LED technology will be faster than the existing OLED TV technology.
Currently, RGB mini LED TVs, which are mainly produced by Chinese companies like TCL and Hisense, feature independent red (R), green (G), and blue (B) LEDs that emit light directly, unlike traditional mini LED TVs using white LEDs and LCD color filters. This allows for clearer colors, but the process of designing each color to work accurately is complex. RGB LEDs generate more heat than white LEDs, and failing to address this could negatively impact the lifespan and performance of TVs.
Chinese and Japanese engineers are continuously solving these technical challenges, and the performance of RGB LED TVs is steadily improving. Dennis Li, president of Hisense, noted at CES 2025 in January that "Hisense's RGB mini LED 'Trichroma TV' can achieve more vibrant colors while reducing energy consumption by over 20% compared to QD-OLED and existing mini LED TVs," and added that "while QD-OLED is still a mainstream technology, improvements are needed in terms of brightness and energy efficiency."
Sony has rolled up its sleeves in R&D to improve the power efficiency and color reproduction of ultra-small LEDs used as light source pixels for RGB LEDs. Sony is currently collaborating with MediaTek, a Taiwanese fabless semiconductor design company, to develop a new LED control processor and is working with ROHM to develop new LED drive integrated circuits (ICs). It is also reported that Sony is conceptualizing next-generation LED designs in collaboration with SoNan Opto Electronics, one of the leaders in LED chip manufacturing.
TCL is also continuing its significant R&D investments in next-generation mini LED TVs. Scott Ramirez, vice president of TCL, stated, "TCL is making large-scale investments in mini LEDs" and mentioned, "The latest TVs are equipped with ultra-high-output LED chips and have applied condensed microlens and optical design technology for precise light control." By leading with these premium TV products, TCL explained that it had gained the most market share among TV manufacturers in North America last year.
Samsung Electronics, the world's leading TV company, is also focusing on developing RGB LED TVs in line with this market trend. According to sources, Samsung Electronics is expected to release RGB micro LED TVs within this year. The company plans to enhance its technological leadership in the next-generation TV market with micro LEDs that have higher pixel density than the RGB mini LEDs from China. Throughout this year, Samsung is also reported to have a variety of models, including 75-inch and 85-inch (4K resolution) and 98-inch (8K resolution) RGB micro LED TVs.
As a result, LG Electronics, which has long dominated the OLED TV market, is in a situation where it must continue a lonely battle. According to market research firm Omdia, LG's OLED TV shipments last year totaled about 3.18 million units, capturing a 52.4% market share based on shipment volume.
An industry associate noted, "This year, as Chinese and Japanese corporations focus on expanding the RGB LED TV market instead of OLED TVs, the overall size of the OLED TV market has inevitably shrunk, and both LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics need alternatives that align with market trends."