Cheaper TVs on Horizon as Chinese Muscle Into U.S.: Tech

Consumer Electronics
#1

Chinese television makers, including TCL Corp. (000100) and Hisense Electric Co. (600060), are accelerating their push into the U.S., marketing cut-rate sets and advanced technology as they try to grab share from Japanese and Korean competitors.

The companies are looking to make a splash at the biggest U.S. electronics trade show this week in Las Vegas as they try to raise their visibility with American consumers and distributors. TCL, the Huizhou-based manufacturer of TVs and DVD players, is doubling its space at the event to show off TVs using Google Inc. (GOOG)’s Android software, while Qingdao-based Hisense is increasing its exhibition footprint and introducing its first U.S. print and TV ad campaign.

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-06/cheaper-tvs-on-horizon-as-chinese-muscle-into-u-s-tech.html

:cool::cool:

#2

Well most of the big players are getting out of selling and making TV’s as they don’t feel there is enough profit left to be made. This isn’t going to help but on the same hand if they can make truly good quality sets with advanced tedchnology that look great and don’t blow up this will make life interesting. Most of the cheaper big name sets are made there anyways so they just want to sell direct rather then just making them for others.
Lets hope they get involved with OLED and other advanced tech and make everyone else that wants to play step up with better stuff for less money.
Surprisingly the cheaper Sony we were given for Xmas is made in Mexico so HMMMM…

#3

The major problem I see with major TV brands is that they sell so called “Smart” TVs, but drop support for these TVs within a year, where the customer cannot get new apps or services without buying a new TV or attaching a set-top box. For example, if the manufacturer releases a newer TV model with extra apps, video on demand services, etc. they rarely offer these new features to existing TV owners.

By going the Android route, this will give these Chinese makers a serious competitive advantage over the major TV brands as customers would be able to download new Apps for years to come without being locked into what services that came with their TV or the limited range offered by the manufacturer.