What a Sony and TCL Partnership Means For the Future of TVs (theverge.com) 26
How would Sony ceding control of its TV hardware business change the industry? The Verge has an optimistic take: [...] As of today, Sony already relies on different manufacturing partners to create its TV lineup. While display panel manufacturers never reveal who they sell panels to, Sony is likely already using panels for its LCD TVs from TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT), in addition to OLED panels from LG Display and Samsung Display. With this deal, a relationship between Sony and TCL CSOT LCD panels is guaranteed (although I doubt this would affect CSOT selling panels to other manufacturers). And with TCL CSOT building a new OLED facility, there's a potential future in which Sony OLEDs will also get panels from TCL. Although I should point out that we're not sure yet if the new facility will have the ability to make TV-sized OLED panels, at least to start.
[...] There's some concern from fans that this could lead to a Sharp, Toshiba, or Pioneer situation where the names are licensed and the TVs produced are a shell of what the brands used to represent. I don't see this happening with Sony. While the electronics side of the business hasn't been as strong as in the past, Sony -- and Bravia -- is still a storied brand. It would take a lot for Sony to completely step aside and allow another company to slap its name on an inferior product. And based on TCL's growth and technological improvements over the past few years, and the shrinking gap between premium and midrange TVs, I don't expect Sony TVs will suffer from a partnership with TCL.
[...] There's some concern from fans that this could lead to a Sharp, Toshiba, or Pioneer situation where the names are licensed and the TVs produced are a shell of what the brands used to represent. I don't see this happening with Sony. While the electronics side of the business hasn't been as strong as in the past, Sony -- and Bravia -- is still a storied brand. It would take a lot for Sony to completely step aside and allow another company to slap its name on an inferior product. And based on TCL's growth and technological improvements over the past few years, and the shrinking gap between premium and midrange TVs, I don't expect Sony TVs will suffer from a partnership with TCL.
Re: (Score:1)
Right. And probably just as well. If it doesn't have Japanese "guts", it shouldn't be called a Sony
Sony? (Score:4, Interesting)
Samsung ate Sony's lunch. Then Samsung got uppity and priced themselves out of the running. Today LG is king.
It's LG's market to lose. TLC is utter shit. But, dat price doh.
Re: Sony? (Score:2)
LG is quite shit also. WebOS is the laggiest crap ever.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: Sony? (Score:2)
I have to use it to change inputs, genius. Unless you want to buy me a nice 4k HDMI switch.
Re: (Score:2)
Is even argue that WebOS is better than most alternatives. It was a shame that Palm was so late to the
Re: Sony? (Score:2)
Well unfortunately they haven't nailed single tasking. The interface lag is astounding. Just getting into the menu and changing image settings is agonizing.
Re: Sony? (Score:2)
Underspecced processors probably struggling to run a bunch of python scripts or worse javascript. if they have proper devs rather than lego brick script kiddies plugging libraries together theyd have written the core in C++ and it would fly.
Re: (Score:1)
The Law of Enshittification [wikipedia.org] means LG will get arrogant & greedy, grab their money one day, milk their cow dry, and then run away.
Re:Sony? (Score:5, Insightful)
- When CRTs were the hot thing, Sony's Trinitron TVs ruled the market
- When LCDs were the hot thing, Samsung's "premium VA" LCD TVs ruled the market
- Now that OLEDs are the hot thing, LG's OLED TVs rule the market
It's not easy for a manufacturer to abandon a profitable product line they have poured tons of R&D into it, especially when the new technology is unproven. Let's not forget that early LCD TVs had issues with low contrast and luminance, and OLEDs had (and still have) issues with burn-in. Then the technology becomes popular regardless of the issues, and the manufacturer that stuck to the previous technology has to play catch-up. Ideally, the manufacturer would invest heavily both in proven and unproven technologies, but that's not what the board wants to hear because won't anybody think of the shareholder dividends?
Rootkits (Score:3)
Who cares? (Score:3)
we're not sure yet if the new facility will have the ability to make TV-sized OLED panels, at least to start.
Most people will be watching TikTok* on their phones, walking along, head down, while crossing the street against the light.
*Most probably episodes of Ow! My balls!
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:3)
Oh boy! Episodes of Ow! My balls! now streaming in 5K HD.
Pluys ca change ... this has happened before (Score:3)
My father used to work at RCA (computers and aerospace) and tells this story of how RCA lost its way in TVs. The background of RCA is that they were the premier high-end TV maker during the 60s and into the 70s. They were riding high and then lost it all.
Step one: RCA signs a contract with Sears to make RCA black-and-white TVs under the "Sears" name
Step two: Sony, then a scrappy little company, goes to RCA and offers to sell to RCA the TVs for the Sears contract for less than RCA can build them. Note that RCA is not the first high-end manufacturer that is unable to stay up to date when making low-cost devices. RCA accepts this offer.
Step three: Sony goes to Sears and grabs the previously lucrative contract from RCA. It's a "curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal" kind of deal.
Re: (Score:2)
Coming soon (Score:3)
Only one company sells TVs.
Only two companies (or maybe one) sell smartphones.
How wonderful for ROI.
ObDisclosure: When I worked for Ameritech, I was required to sign, and thus become a co-signer, to the legal settlement that dismembered Ma Bell.
Analog TV history: Sony Trinitron (Score:2)
The Sony Trinitron [wikipedia.org] was one of the best consumer-grade color TV display technologies around during the life of its key patents (late 1960s through 1996).
After the patents expired, Sony couldn't charge the premium it could during the patent life. That was the beginning of the end. The switch to newer technologies sealed its fate.
Is Tcl/Sony.. (Score:3)
That was a great, but kinda crazy, language !
Re: (Score:2)
The new Tcl/Tk ?
That was a great, but kinda crazy, language !
I wrote a lot of stuff in that way, way back. Some to create/control portable GUI objects via a command line interface for non-GUI apps. Also wrote some custom InstallJammer [sourceforge.net] (InstallShield lookalike) code for a project that needed a cross-platform Windows/Linux/Solaris installer.
I'm guessing more (Score:2)