Seoul: Samsung Electronics Co. on Wednesday voiced confidence in competing with a planned joint venture between global TV manufacturers TCL and Sony, insisting the market impact of the envisioned entity will likely be limited. "Sony's annual shipments are estimated at 4 million units, about one-tenth of ours. A simple merger alone will not be enough," President Yong Seok-woo, head of visual display business at Samsung Electronics, said during a press conference.

According to Yonhap News Agency, TCL and Sony plan to launch the joint venture by 2027, combining TCL's manufacturing scale with Sony's premium brand and audio-visual technologies. Despite the potential synergy between TCL's technology and Sony's premium brand value, Yong expressed confidence that Samsung has enough to compete on its own merits beyond just technological capabilities.

Samsung Electronics accounted for 29.1 percent of the global TV market in 2025 by revenue, including a 54.3 percent share in the premium segment for TVs priced above US$2,500, as reported by Counterpoint Research. By shipments, however, its share stood at 15 percent, closely trailed by TCL at 13 percent. In December, TCL took the top spot with 16 percent, ahead of Samsung Electronics at 15 percent.

In response to the competition, Samsung Electronics has announced plans to expand its non-premium lineup this year to boost volume. "We will reorganize our premium-focused lineup and pay attention to shipment volumes as well," Yong stated, predicting improvements in both sales and shipments.

Yong also mentioned that the global TV market could rebound in the second half if Middle East tensions ease, with the FIFA World Cup 2026 seen as a potential demand driver.