At this year’s IFA trade show in Berlin, Hisense who recently delivered a record loss in Australia, was a no show with all eyes on one TV brand TCL which surprisingly both Samsung and LG Electronics see as a threat.
The second biggest TV brand in the world who also manufactures TVs for the likes of LG, Samsung and Sony TCL delivered a new generation of TV technology that seriously caught the attention of both Samsung and LG executives.
What stood out with TCL TV’s who also manufacture the Ffalcon brand for JB Hi Fi, was the new level of user experience they have built into their TV’s which operate on the Google and Android TV operating systems.
Hisense use a seriously problematic OS called VIDAA U which is currently on version 5 which is most probably why they have lifted their warranty claim budget in 2022/2033 financial year.
During a visit to the LG and Samsung stands I asked senior executives, which TV brand that they saw as a threat the answer was surprising, instead of Sony who have recently launched a new OLED offering with a new processor they both said TCL.
In Australia TCL has had limited budgets to spend on marketing but despite this the brand is growing market share according to analysts.
TCL is already the #2 TV brand in the world ahead of LG Electronics.
According to TV industry research Company Omdia, TV shipments of Samsung and LG are expected to top 4.13 million units and 2.58 million units, respectively, this year, followed by the Chinese duo TCL with 2.45 million units.
“China’s TCL and Hisense are competing each other for growth like Samsung and LG did in the past,” an executive from Samsung said on condition of anonymity.
He especially pinpointed TCL as a more potent player that is posing a direct threat to its Korean rivals.
“What makes TCL more formidable is the fact that it has its own display-making unit — the same strategy of Samsung and LG,” he added.
The Korean Herald recently reported that in the early years of LCD TVs, when Japan’s Sony was the No. 1 TV maker, Samsung, and LG, then fast followers, started investing heavily in producing panels through their display-making units, which allowed them to secure competitive pricing.
After decades, the Korean duo has become the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 TV makers with a combined market share of almost 50 percent, while Sony has fallen to a distant No. 5 with some 7 percent market share.
TCL who manufactures their own TVs and tens of thousands of others via their OEM division are well known for their quality due to the fact that they manufacture their own TVs unlike several other brands in Australia.
A Harvey Norman executive visiting the TCL stand said, “This is a seriously good TV brand”.
At IFA TCL showed off their C735 98-in TV at IFA, also known as model 98C735, it clearly demostrates that TCL is a serious player in the premium TV market, however the big question is whether this TV will be launched in Australia.
I first saw this TV at CES and it’s impressive.
An QLED 4K TV it has an IMAX Enhanced display, with a 6,000:1 contrast ratio, a typical brightness of 450 nits and a wide 93% DCI-P3 color gamut.
Plus, the device supports Dolby Vision IQ, Dolby Atmos and HDR10+.
The screen has a 120 Hz refresh rate, with MEMC technology to smooth fast-moving images.
Designed to support gamers it includes an HDMI 2.1 input port, a 15 ms input lag, VRR and ALLM.
Running on Android R OS, you can control the C735 and other connected smart home devices with Google Assistant voice commands. With built-in Google TV, you can download apps for many popular streaming services or cast to the gadget via Google Chromecast.
You can also use the TV to make or receive Google video calls, but you will have to plug in a webcam .
The gadget has an integrated sound system, with a 10 W and two 15 W speakers.
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