Samsung Says It’s Not Worried About Sony-TCL Partnership

As of March 2026, Samsung has been the world’s No. 1 TV brand for 20 consecutive years, holding the top spot since 2006. In January 2026, Sony announced plans to merge its TV and home audio systems with TCL, which will own 51% of the new company. Samsung isn’t exactly losing sleep over the new Sony-TCL partnership, and its track record explains why. So when a new alliance shows up, Samsung feels it still has the upper hand.

Samsung says the Sony-TCL partnership isn’t enough

According to a report from Yonhap News Agency, Samsung doesn’t see the Sony-TCL joint venture as a serious threat. Samsung executive Yong Seok-woo pointed out that Sony ships around 4 million TVs annually, which is roughly one-tenth of Samsung’s volume.

“Sony’s annual shipments are estimated at 4 million units, about one-tenth of ours. A simple merger alone will not be enough. While there would certainly be synergy if TCL’s technology were combined with Sony’s premium brand value, we have enough to compete on our own merits beyond just technological capabilities” President Yong Seok-woo, head of visual display business at Samsung Electronics.

In other words, even combined with TCL, Samsung believes the gap is still too big.

Samsung leads in value, and isn’t worried

Samsung still dominates where it matters most: revenue and premium segments. But in shipments, things are getting tighter. According to the same report, Samsung has ~15%, while TCL has ~13%, and even briefly overtook Samsung in late 2025. So while Samsung leads in value, TCL is closing the gap in volume.

Samsung’s stance means a partnership doesn’t instantly change the market. Even if Sony and TCL combine strengths, building a cohesive product strategy and actually competing at scale takes time. Right now, Samsung still leads in brand recognition, premium TV tech, and market share.

The Sony-TCL deal is still a big shift. It shows TCL pushing deeper into premium territory, Sony moving away from full manufacturing, but most importantly, competition getting more aggressive.

Samsung may be confident today, especially after 20 years at the top, but this is the kind of move that could reshape the market over time. Because if TCL successfully aligns its scale with Sony’s premium identity, this “non-threat” could become real competition.