Skyworth Taps Western TV Markets With Panasonic Tie-Up
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Skyworth Group Ltd. has sealed a strategic partnership to take over the global production, sales and marketing of Panasonic TVs, a move designed to crack Western markets where the Chinese electronics-maker has struggled to overcome trademark barriers.
Announced at a branding event in Munich on Monday, the agreement will see Panasonic turn its focus to image technology development and product quality control and will allow the partners to jointly develop high-end OLED TVs.
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Explore the story in 30 seconds
- Skyworth will manage global production, sales, and marketing of Panasonic TVs, while Panasonic focuses on image technology and quality.
- The partnership enables Skyworth entry into Western markets, despite brand restrictions, and supports Panasonic's shrinking TV business.
- In 2025, Skyworth shipped 7.9 million TVs (3.6% global share) and expects a 30% profit drop due to competition and China’s property downturn.
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Who’s Who
- Skyworth Group Ltd.
- Skyworth Group Ltd., a Chinese electronics manufacturer, has entered a strategic partnership with Panasonic to manage the global production, sales, and marketing of Panasonic TVs. This move aims to overcome trademark barriers in Western markets, where Skyworth has struggled. The collaboration will also focus on developing high-end OLED TVs, Mini LED technology, and expanding into global markets like Europe and North America. This alliance is expected to significantly boost Skyworth's global influence and market share.
- Panasonic
- Panasonic has entered a strategic partnership with Skyworth Group Ltd. for its TV business. Panasonic will focus on image technology development and product quality control, while Skyworth manages supply chain, production, sales, and marketing. This alliance offers a lifeline for Panasonic's TV business, which has seen a significant decline in shipments and market share since 2007.
- Funai Electric Co. Ltd.
- Funai Electric Co. Ltd. is a Japanese company whose TV business was acquired by Skyworth Group Ltd. in July 2025. This acquisition allowed Skyworth to sell Philips TVs in North America. This move was part of Skyworth's strategy to expand into Western markets, where it faced trademark barriers for its own brand.
- Samsung
- Samsung was the largest TV vendor in the world in 2025 by shipments, ahead of TCL, Hisense, LG, Xiaomi, and Skyworth. Skyworth aims to break into the top five globally this year with an estimated 11 million self-branded TV shipments.
- TCL
- TCL is mentioned as one of the top global TV vendors in 2025, specifically ranking higher than Skyworth. It is listed among the leading companies in the market, trailing only behind Samsung according to data from consultancy Sigmaintell.
- Hisense
- Hisense is mentioned as one of the world's largest TV vendors. In 2025, Hisense was ranked third globally, trailing Samsung and TCL, and ahead of LG and Xiaomi, in terms of TV shipments.
- LG
- LG is mentioned as one of the top five global TV vendors, holding the fourth position in 2025 based on data from Sigmaintell. The company is positioned ahead of Xiaomi and behind Samsung, TCL, and Hisense in terms of shipments and market share.
- Xiaomi
- Xiaomi was the fifth-largest TV vendor globally in 2025, according to Sigmaintell. Their market share and shipment figures were not provided, but they ranked ahead of Skyworth, which shipped 7.9 million units.
- Sky Group
- Sky Group is a British media conglomerate that successfully filed a trademark lawsuit against Skyworth Group Ltd. in the EU. Court rulings in 2017 and 2018 upheld injunctions blocking Skyworth from using its brand for TVs due to potential consumer confusion. This action significantly hindered Skyworth's independent brand expansion into Western markets.
- Metz
- Metz is a German brand that Skyworth acquired in 2015. Skyworth utilizes the Metz brand to sell TVs in Europe. This strategy helps Skyworth navigate trademark barriers, such as an injunction against using the Skyworth brand in the EU due to consumer confusion.
- Philips
- Skyworth acquired Philips' TV business in North America through a deal with Japan's Funai Electric Co. Ltd. This acquisition, slated for July 2025, allows Skyworth to sell Philips TVs in the North American market. This strategy is part of Skyworth's efforts to expand into Western markets where its own brand faces trademark challenges.
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What Happened When
- 2015：
- Skyworth acquired the German brand Metz to sell TVs in Europe.
- 2017：
- European judges upheld an injunction against the use of the Skyworth brand in the EU following a trademark lawsuit by Sky Group.
- 2018：
- European judges upheld an injunction against the use of the Skyworth brand in the EU following a trademark lawsuit by Sky Group.
- 2025：
- Skyworth was the world’s sixth-largest TV vendor with shipments of 7.9 million units and a 3.6% market share, trailing Samsung, TCL, Hisense, LG, and Xiaomi.
- 2025：
- Panasonic fell out of the global top 10 TV manufacturers, shipping only 2 million units.
- July 2025：
- Skyworth made a deal to acquire the TV business of Japan’s Funai Electric Co. Ltd. to sell Philips TVs in North America.
- 2026-02-23：
- Skyworth's strategic partnership with Panasonic was announced at a branding event in Munich.
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