Paweł Koper
December 2025 will be remembered in the history of the entire RTV industry as a moment of great breakthrough. According to research by Counterpoint Research, after years of unchallenged dominance by Samsung, TCL has jumped into the leader's seat of global suppliers. Although the entire television market has grown by a modest 1.6% during this time, it is the Chinese manufacturer that has stolen the show, demonstrating that the balance of power on the Korean side is no longer as strong as it once was.
TCL leads the December ranking
In the last month of 2025, TCL literally "hit the jackpot," capturing as much as 16% of the global TV market. While others were hoping for a smooth end to the year, the deliveries of this brand skyrocketed by 10% compared to the previous year. The key to success turned out to be strong sales in China, Asia, and the Middle East. These regions more than compensated for the company's poorer performance in Europe and America, securing its historic first place in the December ranking.
Samsung Defends Its Position as Leader in 2025
Although Samsung had to concede superiority to a rival in December (falling to a 13% market share), the "old king" still has reasons to be proud. Looking at the entire 2025 year, it was the Koreans who defended their position as leader, delivering 2% more televisions than the previous year. Samsung continues to dominate, but experts from Counterpoint Research warn:
...their shipments have been stagnant for months.
TCL is no longer just a "cheap alternative"; it is now a direct competitor that is increasingly boldly attacking the premium segment.
Everything indicates that in 2026 the key battleground will be premium technologies and new alliances. If TCL maintains its current sales pace along with deliveries, a victory in December could be a harbinger of a new leader in the TV market in 2026.
Data source: Counterpoint Research
