[THE INVESTOR] Chinese TV makers armed with price competitiveness are a growing threat to Korean electronics giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.
Chinese electronics firms, such as LeTV, which is also a streaming services firm, has recently rolled out 65-inch 4K TVs with a price tag of around $900 in the Chinese market, according to IHS, a market research firm.
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A model poses with Samsung Electronics’ super ultra-high definition TV. (Samsung Electronics) |
They are around three times cheaper than the cheapest 65-inch TV models of Samsung and LG.
The high-end TV lineups of the two Korean companies -- the super ultra-high definition TV for Samsung and the organic light-emitting diode TV for LG -- are offered in a price range of 5 million won ($4305) to 7 million won.
“Some of the streaming services providers in China have jumped into the TV industry, disrupting the existing distribution channels,” an industry watcher said.
“Their products, however, are mainly aimed at the Chinese market and the picture quality of the TVs is not on par with that of the Korean TV makers.”
The average TV screen size in the global market has surpassed 40-inch for the first time, nearing 40.6-inch, due to the Chinese firms’ push to produce large-screen TVs.
By Kim Young-won (
wone0102@heraldcorp.com)
