Katarzyna Petru
The District Court in Munich has issued a ruling that could shake up the television market across Europe. The judges sided with Samsung Electronics' lawsuit, determining that TCL had engaged in unfair market practices. The Chinese manufacturer promoted selected models as QLED TVs, despite their design not providing measurable benefits from quantum dot technology.
No measurable improvement in image
The court found that models such as QLED870 were advertised in a manner that could mislead consumers. Although QLED technology – according to the definition of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) – should be based on a layer of quantum dots to enhance brightness and colour reproduction, in the case of the disputed TCL models, the impact of these materials on image quality was negligible. Expert analyses showed that the manufacturer used only trace amounts of Quantum Dot materials, which did not translate into a reliable improvement in colour reproduction. As a result, the use of the label "QLED" was deemed a violation of the German Act Against Unfair Competition.
PFS versus Quantum Dot: Where Lies the Difference?
The main point of contention is the backlighting technology. While classic QLED televisions use blue LEDs and a special film with quantum dots that, when excited, generate pure primary colours, TCL in the disputed models opted for cheaper PFS filters mainly based on phosphor.
You can see this in our measurements in the TV tests. In the "Panel Details" section:
Although in our tests the differences in colour reproduction or coverage of the colour palette (DCI-P3) between the two technologies are often marginal and difficult to detect with the naked eye, for specialists and regulatory bodies the difference is fundamental. According to industry experts, screens based on quantum dots differ from phosphor filters not only in their impact on image quality but also in, among other things, the method of raw material extraction, disposal, or better effects on living organisms.
This is not the only war Samsung vs TCL
The verdict regarding QLED is not the only problem for TCL. A German court also ordered the withdrawal of the trademark “NXT Frame”, ruling that it too closely resembles Samsung's registered trademark The Frame. As a result, TCL had to change the naming of these screens to NXT Vision.
Samsung has been aggressively targeting Chinese competitors for some time now. At the end of last year, the company released a video titled “Real QLED: The Clown Behind It All | Samsung,” in which it openly questions the technological reliability of its rivals' products.
Source: own, koreaherald
