Outpacing Fast-Rising Chinese Rivals: Samsung Electronics Ranks No. 1 in the Global TV Market for 20 Consecutive Years

According to The Financial News, Samsung Electronics has topped the global TV market share rankings for the 20th year in a row. Chinese manufacturers are rapidly closing the gap, but Samsung plans to defend its lead again this year by aggressively expanding its premium TV lineup.
Market research firm Omdia reported on the 8th that Samsung Electronics captured a 29.1% share of the overall global TV market last year based on revenue, maintaining the No. 1 position for 20 consecutive years since 2006. LG Electronics ranked second with a 15.2% share, putting the two Korean appliance makers side by side at the top of the industry.
Samsung Electronics showed particularly strong performance last year in the premium TV segment priced at 2,500 dollars and above. Led by its Samsung Neo QLED premium Mini LED TV lineup, Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) models, and Samsung Lifestyle TV products, the company achieved a 54.3% revenue share in this segment. It also maintained its lead in the 1,500-dollar-and-above segment with a 52.2% share.
However, the rapid growth of Chinese manufacturers and the resulting narrowing of the market share gap over the past 20 years remain key challenges. TCL has surged from a 4.6% revenue share in 2006 to 13.1% in 2025, rising to third place globally and closing in on the Korean players. Over the same period, Hisense increased its share from 2.0% to 10.9%, taking fourth place. Unlike in the past, when Korean companies held an overwhelming lead, the gap is steadily shrinking.
The catch-up by Chinese brands is even more pronounced when looking at market share based on shipment volume, which reflects actual units sold rather than price. According to Counterpoint Research, TCL overtook Samsung Electronics in December last year to claim the No. 1 spot in global TV shipments. TCL is also aggressively targeting the high-end TV market by pursuing a joint venture with Sony, which owns a premium TV brand, and many in the industry expect competition for market share to intensify further.
Samsung Electronics plans to maintain its market leadership this year by aggressively expanding its premium lineup centered on Micro RGB TV models. In addition to its existing premium ranges such as OLED and Neo QLED, the company intends to roll out new products featuring differentiated technologies.
Micro RGB TV uses an RGB color model (RGB) backlight made up of micro-sized red, green, and blue LEDs arranged with extreme precision across the screen, allowing each color to be controlled independently and accurately. Samsung also plans to step up its push in the mass market by expanding its Mini LED product lineup.
Samsung Electronics first rose to No. 1 in global TV market share in 2006, with a 14.6% share, following the launch of its Bordeaux TV. In 2009, it introduced LED TV models with differentiated picture quality, which quickly reshaped market trends, and in 2011 it rolled out its first smart TV.
In 2015, the company launched the Samsung The Serif lifestyle TV series, designed to blend naturally into home interiors like a piece of furniture, and in 2017 it introduced Samsung The Frame lifestyle TV, which ushered in the era of art TVs. Through these products, Samsung pioneered a new segment for Samsung Lifestyle TV.
Samsung then led a revolution in picture quality, starting with QLED TV (Quantum Dot LED TV) that used quantum dot technology to significantly enhance image quality. It followed up with an 8K TV in 2018 offering 33 million pixels, four times more than 4K, and with MicroLED models in 2020, which emit their own light and color, further expanding its lineup of ultra-high-resolution TVs.
In 2024, Samsung introduced the industry’s first AI TV. In 2025, it further upgraded its Vision AI Companion feature and unveiled an integrated AI platform unique to Samsung Electronics TV that interacts with users, understands their needs, and provides assistance.
Yong Seok-woo, President and Head of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics, said, "Achieving the No. 1 position in the global TV market for 20 consecutive years was made possible by the trust consumers around the world have placed in Samsung TVs." He added, "Building on Samsung Electronics’ No. 1 DNA, we will continue to introduce a wide range of products and services to repay our customers for their support."
one1@fnnews.com Jung Won-il Reporter