The company expands from Micro LED to entry-level UHD as Chinese makers gain share
Models present the Micro RGB TV at Samsung Gangnam in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on April 15.(Photo courtesy of Samsung Electronics)
Samsung Electronics has unveiled a solution to fend off the pursuit from Chinese competitors threatening its top position in the global TV market. The plan is to significantly expand its lineup from premium products to ‘entry-level’ and ‘low-cost’ models that are a stronghold for Chinese makers, and embed ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI)’ across all products to achieve a ‘super-gap’.
The strategy is to shift the paradigm of the TV from a simple viewing device to a daily life companion, aiming to boost both shipments and sales amid stagnant demand.
On April 15, Samsung Electronics held ‘The First Look Seoul 2026’ event at Samsung Gangnam in Seocho-gu and unveiled its new product lineup. The core of this strategy is the integration of the ‘Vision AI Companion’ across its entire product range, from the existing ultra-premium Micro RGB (Micro LED) lineup to the entry-level UHD lineup. Through this, the company has solidified its ‘AI Daily Companion’ strategy, which not only optimizes picture and sound quality but also supports real-time information searches and device connectivity.
Most notably, to defend its position in the mid-to-low-end market, Samsung has opted for a ‘downward expansion’ by significantly extending its Mini LED lineup, previously centered on Quantum Dot (QLED), down to the entry-level segment. With Chinese companies dominating the low-cost LCD market, Samsung’s calculation is to engage in a head-on competition by bringing its more advanced Mini LED technology down to an entry-level price point.
strategies are also noteworthy. Key examples include a ‘large-screen TV subscription service in the 50,000 won per month range’ and a ‘no-drill installation solution’ that considers the prevalence of non-load-bearing walls in Korean apartments. This move aims to simultaneously reduce the initial purchase burden and installation constraints, thereby targeting an increase in actual shipments.
The essence of this lineup expansion is the integration of AI in all products, specifically the ‘Vision AI Companion’. Samsung Electronics has declared 2026 as the ‘inaugural year for the popularization of AI TV’. By equipping 99% of its new product lineup with AI functions, the company is making a strategic move to compete on ‘technology’ against the volume-driven offensive from Chinese companies like TCL and Hisense.
Yong Seok-woo, President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics, emphasized, “The new mission Samsung TV is preparing for is to become an AI companion that is part of our customers’ daily lives,” adding, “AI TV will not be an option, but the standard.”
This is a head-on gambit against the low-cost, high-volume offensive from Chinese firms like TCL and Hisense. The intention is to widen the gap not with price, but with ‘AI technology’.
Despite recent seismic shifts in the global TV market, such as China’s TCL partnering with Sony to establish the joint venture ‘Bravia’, Samsung Electronics’ stance was firm. President Yong expressed strong confidence, stating, “It will not be easy to surpass our technological capabilities through a mere physical combination.”
President Yong particularly highlighted the company’s unparalleled technology based on ‘128 AI neural networks’, noting that the NPU speed is twice as fast and the number of AI neural networks has increased 6.4 times compared to the 2025 models.
Samsung Electronics’ vision is for the TV to be more than just a device for content consumption. The goal is to redefine the TV’s status as an ‘AI Hub’ that integrates external AI platforms such as Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini. Through this, the company aims to defend its No. 1 position in the global TV market for the 21st consecutive year.
Samsung Electronics also maintained an optimistic outlook regarding concerns about a ‘demand cliff’ in the TV market. Based on data showing that global TV shipments are being maintained at around 208 million units annually, the company’s diagnosis is that the market itself has not shrunk, but rather that consumer behavior has changed.
In particular, the company believes that the combination of major sporting events like the World Cup in June this year and AI features will be a key driver for stimulating replacement demand. The ‘AI Soccer Mode’, which allows users to adjust commentator audio in real-time or search for game information, is a prime example of an incentive.
In addition, the company aims to ‘re-ignite the market’ with new business models, such as expanding the ‘Moving Style’ portable screen lineup to 85 inches and strengthening B2B solutions for small business owners.
Samsung Electronics plans to move beyond hardware competition and solidify a ‘Samsung ecosystem’ that Chinese companies cannot replicate by providing differentiated services throughout the entire process from purchase and installation to care.
Kim Eun-jin
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