Global TV Shipments Flat as China Demand Declines, US Remains Resilient
Global television shipments remained relatively stable in the final quarter of 2025, reaching 61.5 million units, despite a significant downturn in the Chinese market. This stability was largely due to robust demand in other regions, particularly the United States, according to recent data from Omdia.
China’s Market Contraction
Shipments in China experienced a substantial decline of 25.3% year-over-year. This drop is attributed to the cessation of government subsidies and a surge in consumer upgrades in the preceding year Omdia.
Regional Performance: Growth in Mature and Developing Markets
While China faced challenges, mature markets like North America and Western Europe demonstrated continued expansion, with growth rates of 4.7% and 3.2%, respectively. Developing regions exhibited even stronger performance, led by Latin America & the Caribbean (up 12.5%) and the Middle East & Africa (up 9.4%). This shift reflects a strategic focus by brands to increase shipments to international markets to offset weaker domestic consumption in China.
Shifting Regional Rankings
Western Europe surpassed both China and Asia & Oceania to become the second-largest regional TV market in the fourth quarter of 2025. North America saw increased shipments, but sell-through during the holiday season was lower than anticipated, resulting in higher inventory levels.
TCL and Hisense Navigate Challenges
Despite the decline in their home market, TCL and Hisense collectively increased their shipments by 2.2% year-over-year, driven by stronger performance outside of China. Their combined market share in North America rose from 28.6% to 30.7%, even with tightening compliance requirements in the US Omdia. Brands are redirecting shipments towards the US and other overseas markets, anticipating continued demand for larger-screen TVs.
Profitability and Premium Models
“Chinese brands have shown strong agility in their growth strategies over the past year,” noted TV analyst Matthew Rubin Omdia. Accessing the U.S. Market presents challenges, but TCL and Hisense have adapted their supply chains to meet new requirements. This flexibility comes at a cost, and profitability is becoming increasingly important, particularly as component costs, such as memory, rise.
Premium models continue to be the primary driver of profitability in the TV market. Major Chinese TV brands are positioning Mini LED technology as a key premium offering in the coming years.
OLED vs. Mini LED Competition
OLED shipments grew by 8.6% year-over-year in the fourth quarter of 2025, with Western Europe, the largest OLED TV market, experiencing an 11.5% increase. OLED’s ability to attract high-spending consumers will be tested as more RGB Mini LED TVs enter the market. CES 2026 highlighted intense competition at the premium end, with TCL showcasing Mini LED paired with enhanced Quantum Dot technology as a flagship offering for 2026.