Looking at the high-end of the OLED TV market, and it is just Samsung, LG, or Sony. Samsung is being extra aggressive in winning market share, looking to solidify its position by using the consumer market to fuel production economies that will drive QD-OLED prices down. That’s going to tax its main rivals, but it doesn’t lose the pack of Chinese vendors, like TCL and HiSense, who are tracking behind the company, or leading it, in other categories. This war of attrition in the OLED TV market is going to get uglier because the market is expected to show a 6.3% decline over the last year. Market share is where you go for the big win this year.
According to research from Sigmaintell, Samsung plans to boost the OLED TV market in 2023 by targeting 1 million QD-OLED TV sales, potentially increasing its global market share to over 15%. The company will expand its product lineup with a 77-inch size and an entry-level S90 series, as well as broadening its sales network coverage beyond North America and Europe. LG’s WOLED TV market may face pressure due to high panel costs and competition from Samsung’s QD-OLED TVs. LG’s global OLED TV shipments are estimated to reach only 4 million units in 2023.
Sony, capable of releasing both WOLED and QD-OLED products, might face panel supply issues, leading to a reduced product line and a focus on image quality adjustments. In the short-to-medium term, Samsung, LG, and Sony are expected to be the primary competitors in the global OLED market.
| Year | LGE (%) | Sony (%) | Samsung (%) | Others (%) |
| 2021 | 16 | 20 | 0 | 64 |
| 2022 | 14 | 20 | 6 | 60 |
| 2023E | 13 | 16 | 16 | 56 |
When it comes to MiniLED backlit TVs, it’s a whole other story. Now you have five players—Samsung, Hisense, TCL, LG, and Sony—all actively investing in the market. Samsung is expected to remain the global leader with an estimated 2.4 million units in 2023. However, growth has slowed down due to limited consumer acceptance of MiniLED backlight products in North America and Europe. Including Hisense and TCL, all three leading suppliers of MiniLED backlit TVs are expected to ship about 3.1 million units globally, capturing over 80% market share. Sony and LG have more conservative strategies, hampered as there are supply chain issues, and costs.
Just as a point of reference, in February, DSCC forecasted shipments of QD-OLED TVs to grow from less than 0.5 million in 2022 to over 1.3 million units in 2025. For MiniLED TVs, shipments will increase from 3.1 million to 8.2 million units during the same period.
