According to Counterpoint Research’s Global TV Shipments Monthly Tracker, TCL was the world’s second-largest TV manufacturer in November 2025, behind Samsung Electronics, which held a 17% global market share. During the same period, TCL’s shipments increased 22% YoY and its share rose from 13% to 16%. On the other hand, Sony ranked 10th globally, with a share of nearly 2%.

The JV, which targets to start operations in April 2027, pending regulatory approvals, will cover planning, design, manufacturing, sales, logistics and customer service related to the business. Products will continue under the Sony and BRAVIA brand names.   

Worldwide TV Market Share, YTD November, 2025 vs 2024

Sony’s strategy

• Sony’s display business (TVs + home projectors) recorded ¥597.6-billion revenue in FY2025 (ending March 31, 2025), down 10% YoY.
• Weak performance continued in April-September 2025, weighing on electronics division profits.
• Sony’s global TV market share has fallen to less than 2%, reflecting scale and margin pressures.
• The strategy aligns with Sony’s long-term pivot toward gaming, music, film, anime and IP-led businesses.

TCL’s strategy

• In November 2025, TCL ranked No. 2 globally in terms of TV shipments, behind Samsung Electronics.
• TCL’s shipments were up 22% YoY and market share up from 13% to 16%, according to Counterpoint’s Global TV Shipments Monthly Tracker.
• Under the JV, TCL gains control of a globally recognized premium brand (BRAVIA) and Sony’s video processing know-how.
• The JV strengthens TCL’s ambition to compete higher up the value chain, challenging Samsung’s leadership.

Bigger industry takeaways

• Sony joins a growing list of Japanese TV brands retreating from manufacturing, like Pioneer, Hitachi, Toshiba and Mitsubishi Electric.
• Chinese companies continue to consolidate power in the TV business.
• Scale and cost efficiency matter more than ever.

Senior Analyst Nikhil Kishor believes TCL is likely to deeply integrate its panel and backlight technologies with Sony’s proprietary image-processing IP, creating a stronger competitive proposition in the premium TV segment. Rather than repositioning BRAVIA as a volume-driven brand, the strategy appears focused on preserving BRAVIA’s premium differentiation while improving cost competitiveness.

Research Vice President Yoshio Tamura notes that TCL has been gaining share rapidly, and if current momentum continues, the company has a realistic chance of becoming the world’s largest TV vendor by unit shipments as early as next year. However, this partnership is not solely about scale. Sony helps TCL address a remaining structural gap of premium brand positioning and credibility, an area where TCL has historically lagged despite strong hardware capabilities.

From Sony’s perspective, the appeal lies in supply chain leverage. TCL’s vertically integrated LCD ecosystem, particularly in MiniLED backlighting, is among the strongest globally, offering Sony improved access to advanced display hardware at competitive costs. The competitive read-through is heightened pressure on Samsung and LG, especially in the premium TV category, where OLED has been the core differentiator.

Sony’s total annual TV shipments currently stand at around 4 million units. Within this mix, OLED TV volumes are expected to decline gradually rather than sharply. As a result, the impact on LG Display’s White OLED business is likely to be progressive, with Sony’s WOLED purchases estimated at roughly 450,000 units in 2025. The availability of lower-cost MiniLED backlight solutions, including emerging RGB MiniLED, is expected to steadily displace WOLED in Sony’s high-end LCD portfolio over time.

Sony’s QD-OLED TV volumes from Samsung Display remain limited, estimated at only 50,000-100,000 units annually, and are likely to phase out over the next few years. This shift is unlikely to materially affect Samsung Display, which is already prioritizing QD-OLED monitors while scaling back its QD-OLED TV focus.

Finally, Sony’s LCD TV panel sourcing strategy may continue to evolve. While Sony has historically procured LCD panels from a diversified supplier base, including Taiwanese manufacturers, sourcing is increasingly likely to consolidate toward China Star (CSOT) over the medium term, reflecting both cost and scale advantages.