Global TV shipments totalled 61.5 million units in the fourth quarter of 2025, remaining unchanged from the same period a year earlier despite a significant downturn in the Chinese market, according to data from Omdia’s TV Sets Market Tracker.
The stability was achieved as strong growth in other regions offset a 25.3% year-on-year decline in China, where the cessation of government subsidies and advanced consumer purchasing drove the contraction. China recorded the steepest regional drop, while mature markets showed modest expansion. North America saw shipments rise by 4.7% and Western Europe by 3.2%.
Developing economies delivered the most pronounced growth, with Latin America & the Caribbean increasing by 12.5% and the Middle East & Africa by 9.4%. This shift reflects a strategic pivot by several Chinese brands, which redirected inventory to international markets to compensate for weakening domestic demand. As a result, Asia & Oceania and Western Europe overtook China to become the third and second largest regional markets, respectively.
In North America, increased shipments coincided with softer-than-expected holiday sales, leading to elevated inventory levels. Despite the challenging home market, major Chinese manufacturers TCL and Hisense grew their combined global shipments by 2.2%. Their share of the North American market rose from 28.6% to 30.7%, even as U.S. regulatory compliance requirements have tightened.
“Chinese brands have shown strong agility in their growth strategies over the past year,” said Matthew Rubin, Principal Analyst for TV Set Research at Omdia. “Accessing the US market is more challenging now, but both TCL and Hisense have adjusted supply chains to meet new requirements. That flexibility comes with added cost, and profitability is becoming a bigger priority, particularly as component costs such as memory rise.”
The industry focus continues to centre on premium models as the primary driver of profitability. Both TCL and Hisense are positioning Mini LED technology as a cornerstone of their high-end offerings. Meanwhile, OLED shipments grew 8.6% year-on-year, led by an 11.5% increase in Western Europe, the world’s largest OLED market. The competition in the premium segment is intensifying, with TCL showcasing Mini LED combined with enhanced Quantum Dot technology at CES 2026. The performance of OLED will face new pressure as more RGB Mini LED models enter the market, testing its ability to attract high-spending consumers in the year ahead.
