Two Korea-based consumer electronics giants, Samsung and LG, are aiming for different strategies to attack the UHD TV market this year. While Samsung extends its Ultra-Premium QLED line with a staggering 88-inch panel, LG is launching a new value line with three 4K models, as the second half of the year forecasts a head-to-head race for the very top of the UHD TV market share.
The Samsung Q9, an 88-inch QLED TV, is expected to be launched by the end of August. Let’s remember that QLED uses quantum dot technology which has the ability to display vibrant colors no matter the amount of brightness, while normally, TVs with higher brightness don’t offer such vibrant colors. This is the biggest screen Samsung has ever made, the previous biggest model was an UHD TV with a 75-inch display. Samsung has said that customers are now demanding bigger screen models to come in multiple sizes. The style for this model is a frame-type TV, and its price is suspected to be around 15 million South Korea Won, that’s around $13,366. With a completely different approach, LG is launching three new 4K models but on the low side of the UHD TV spectrum. The UJ6200 family will be cheaper than the existing UJ6600 line-up and is expected to arrive at the beginning of August. A 43-inch, 49-inch, and 55-inch TVs will hit the shelves giving customers the opportunity to acquire an affordable 4K TV. Price for the 43-inch one is presumed to be less than 1 million South Korea Won, the equivalent to $891.
An analyst reported that the TV market has hit a plateau, so Samsung and LG response is to give buyers more options to choose from. Samsung has been the world’s leading TV market sales for many years, right now they want to jump into the giant TV arena with the Q9 model which will be a great rival for the 77-inch LG Signature OLED TV W that was released last month. LG’s value line-up should attract new customers into the 4K world. The remaining of this year will show us which tactic brings more business to each manufacturer.