Samsung Electronics maintained its position as the leading global TV manufacturer by shipment volume in the first quarter of this year. However, the growth of China's TCL has accelerated, narrowing the market share gap between the two companies compared to a year ago.
According to industry sources on May 29, market research firm Counterpoint Research reported that Samsung's global TV shipments increased by 8% year-on-year in the first quarter. Samsung's market share rose from 16.1% in the first quarter of last year to 16.8% this year.
In contrast, TCL's shipments surged by 22% during the same period, boosting its market share from 12.0% to 14.1%. As a result, the gap between Samsung and TCL has decreased from 4.1 percentage points to 2.7 percentage points.
TCL's rapid growth is attributed to its expansion in miniLED LCD TV sales. The company increased shipments across its major TV product lines in the first quarter, targeting both the premium and mid-range markets with its miniLED offerings.
While Samsung showed strong growth in the W-OLED TV segment, the overall shipment volume of OLED TVs remains smaller than that of LCDs, limiting the impact on its total market share. Although Samsung has maintained a premium image, it faces challenges from Chinese competitors in terms of pricing and product range expansion.
Industry analysts noted that TCL briefly surpassed Samsung in monthly shipments at the end of last year and has continued to expand its miniLED production. They believe that this year, the competition in the TV market will shift towards a confrontation between OLED-focused premium strategies and miniLED-driven volume strategies.
Starting in the second quarter of this year, the competition is expected to intensify as major players like Samsung, LG Electronics, TCL, and Hisense launch new products. Chinese manufacturers, in particular, are aiming to increase their market share in North America and emerging markets with large LCD and miniLED offerings.
For Samsung, the focus has shifted from merely increasing shipment volumes to maintaining a strong share of premium products and profitability. However, to retain its position as the global TV leader, it will likely need to navigate price and performance competition with Chinese companies in the miniLED and mid-range segments as well as in OLED and large-screen TVs.
An industry insider remarked, "While Samsung's status as the global TV market leader remains unchanged, TCL's growth rate cannot be overlooked. This year, competition will be fierce not only for premium products but also for volume in miniLED and large LCD segments."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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