Overtaken for the First Time: 5 Reasons TCL & Hisense Are Disrupting the Premium TV Market That Samsung and LG Once Dominated

Why does this matter now? In the same way Samsung and LG once overtook Japan's Sony and Panasonic, China's TCL and Hisense have now set their sights on Korean brands. Will history repeat itself?

TL;DR

• In Q3 2025, the combined share of TCL, Hisense, and Xiaomi (31.8%) exceeded Samsung and LG combined (28.5%) for the first time ever.
• Chinese brands are no longer 'cheap knockoffs' — they are directly challenging the premium segment with Mini LED lineups and AI features.
• Sony handed its TV business to TCL; Panasonic transferred its TV operations to SKYWORTH — Japan has already waved the white flag.
• Samsung is effectively replacing its entire 2026 QLED lineup with Mini LED TVs; LG is also revising its strategy.
• Korea's last line of defense is OLED and oversized screens — but time is running short.

1. The Facts — What Happened

On February 25, 2026, industry sources reported that Samsung Electronics has decided to overhaul its 2026 LCD TV lineup, shifting from a QLED-centric approach to a Mini LED TV-centric one. LG Electronics is similarly restructuring its premium LCD lineup.

The backdrop is the rapid ascent of Chinese brands. According to market research firm Omdia, the combined global market share of TCL, Hisense, and Xiaomi reached 31.8% in Q3 2025, overtaking Samsung and LG's combined share (28.5%) for the first time. TCL has emerged as a direct competitor even in the premium Mini LED segment, where Korean brands held a clear advantage just two to three years ago.

Even more shocking: Sony has agreed to hand over TV business operations to TCL, and Panasonic has transferred its TV business to SKYWORTH. It is a historic moment in which Japan's TV industry is effectively being absorbed by Chinese brands.

2. The Acceleration Mechanism — Why Now?

The rise of Chinese TV brands is the result of three converging accelerants.

① Plummeting Mini LED costs — Chinese manufacturers have internalized both LCD panel and Mini LED backlight supply chains. They source panels of equivalent picture quality at far lower unit costs than Samsung Display or LG Display.

② Rapid AI feature replication — Since 2025, TCL has incorporated AI picture upscaling and AI recommendation interfaces into its premium lines. The gap with Samsung's proprietary AI features is closing fast.

③ Low-cost assault on large screens — Based on U.S. consumer data, the average TV purchase size grows year over year. In the 85-inch-and-above ultra-large TV segment, Chinese brands' price competitiveness is overwhelming.

3. Stakeholders — Who Is Involved?

4. Durability — How Long Will This Trend Last?

This trend is not a one-off event but a structural shift. It is strikingly similar to how Japan's Sony and Panasonic lost the market to Samsung and LG in the 1990s. Korean brands followed a three-step path: low-cost competition → quality improvement → premium entry. Chinese brands are following the same trajectory at a far faster pace.

Samsung and LG's last two lines of defense are:

• OLED technology advantage — LG Display's near-monopoly on OLED panels remains intact for now.
• Brand premium — Particularly among high-income consumers in Europe and North America.

However, if Chinese brands succeed in producing OLED panels in-house or raise their global brand recognition, these defenses could collapse.

5. Risk Checklist

References

• Samsung, LG feel heat from Chinese TV makers — Korea Herald
• Samsung, LG Focus on Mini LED TVs Amid Chinese Competition — BusinessKorea
• Samsung, LG turn to RGB Mini-LED as Chinese TV rivals gain ground — Digitimes
• TV Market Leadership is Already Shifting Heading into 2026 — CEPRO
• Premium TV Market Being Reset — ChannelNews

Image source: Image unavailable (copyright verification failed; refer to Samsung Electronics official newsroom)