With the Sony–TCL joint venture set to launch next April, an outlook emerged that the two companies' combined share in the global TV market could approach 20%.
Market research firm TrendForce on the 21st said, "We expect the Sony–TCL joint venture could threaten Samsung Electronics' lead in the TV market by 2027," offering this analysis.
According to Omdia, as of the third quarter last year, Samsung Electronics maintained the No. 1 position in the global TV market with a 17.9% share by shipments.
During the same period, TCL and Sony held shares of 14.3% and 1.7%, respectively, which simply add up to an estimated 16%. With TCL pushing an aggressive expansion on the back of low prices, the analysis says the share could rise further this year and next, allowing it to overtake Samsung Electronics.
TrendForce projected that when the joint venture begins operations in 2027, Chinese TV brands' market share (by shipments) will climb to 48.7%. Korean TV brands such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are forecast to hold 20.7%.
On the 20th, Japan's Sony and China's TCL signed a memorandum of understanding to seek strategic collaboration in home entertainment. The core plan is to spin off Sony's TV business institutional sector and establish a TV joint venture with TCL. The joint venture plans to begin operations in April 2027, with TCL holding 51% equity and Sony holding 49%.
TrendForce expected the two companies to leverage each other's strengths in brand, technology, and key component supply chains through the establishment of the joint venture.
In the short term, there is talk that Sony's premium product lineup could shift to focus on mini LED TVs, an area where TCL has strengths. In the long term, analysis also suggests Sony could serve as a major overseas distribution channel by utilizing TCL CSOT's organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TV panel production capacity.
According to TrendForce, TCL's TV shipments last year were about 31 million units, recording a 15.7% share of the global market.
In contrast, Sony's TV shipments were under 4 million units last year, and its market share fell to 1.9%. In 2010, its market share reached 11.4%, but it shrank significantly afterward as price competitiveness weakened amid low-price offensives by Chinese brands.
With the establishment of the joint venture, Sony is expected to streamline procurement and boost price competitiveness by expanding supply from CSOT and MOKA, panel and related subsidiaries of the TCL Group. At the same time, the TCL Group can significantly increase its share of panel supply in the global TV market.
TrendForce said, "MOKA is expanding production capacity, targeting overseas brands, and establishing itself as a key OEM partner for Sony's new TV lineup," adding, "As a result, Sony's production model is gradually shifting to a TCL-centric approach."