2026年1月20日，TCL電子與索尼正式對外宣布，雙方已簽署合作諒解備忘錄，計畫共同成立一家合資公司，專門承接索尼的家庭娛樂事業。根據目前公開的架構，TCL將持有51%股權，索尼持有49%，合資公司預計於 2027年4月正式開始營運。這項消息一經公布，立刻在全球家電與消費性電子產業引發高度關注，被視為近年電視產業最具象徵意義的結構性轉折之一。

依照雙方規劃，這家合資公司將全面接手索尼電視與家庭音響業務，涵蓋研發、製造、供應鏈管理、行銷與全球銷售等完整營運鏈條。值得注意的是，產品仍將持續使用「Sony」與「BRAVIA」這兩個在高階市場極具號召力的品牌，品牌價值與消費者信任度得以延續；而在經營層面，TCL不僅取得控股權，也將掌握實際經營與管理主導權，等同於成為索尼家庭顯示設備事業的新核心操盤者。

從市場角度來看，這項合作若能順利落地，對全球電視產業版圖的影響相當深遠。以 2025 年的出貨數據估算，TCL全年電視出貨量約3,040萬台，市占率達13.8%，穩居全球第二；反觀索尼，全年出貨量僅約410萬台，市占率降至1.9%，在整體規模上已明顯落後。若未來合資公司能有效整合雙方資源，合併後的全球市占率有機會達到約16.7%，理論上甚至可能超越三星，成為全球出貨量第一的電視集團，徹底改寫長期以來由韓系品牌領跑的競爭格局。

在策略層面，這次合作對TCL與索尼而言，並非單純的規模疊加，而是各取所需、彼此補強。對TCL來說，雖然其在面板供應鏈、製造效率與中高階市場佔有率上具備明顯優勢，但在頂級畫質調校、影像演算法與高端品牌溢價方面，仍與索尼存在差距。透過合資架構，TCL得以合法且深入地吸收索尼多年累積的顯示技術資產，例如XR影像處理晶片、色彩與對比調校哲學，以及針對影視與遊戲內容優化的顯示技術，這將有助於其補齊高階產品線的最後一塊拼圖。

對索尼而言，這項決策則象徵著一次明確的戰略轉型。近年索尼電視業務長期面臨成本高、規模小、獲利不穩定的壓力，與其繼續重資本投入製造與供應鏈，不如藉由合資模式轉向「輕資產」經營，將硬體生產與銷售壓力交由TCL承擔，自身則更專注於影像核心技術、品牌價值，以及與 PlayStation、生態內容、影視製作之間的整合優勢。這樣的布局，也更符合索尼近年「娛樂科技集團」的長期定位。

若放在更宏觀的產業背景下觀察，這起合作其實是日系電視品牌整體式微的延伸結果。過去十多年，隨著製造成本上升與競爭加劇，日本品牌在彩電市場節節敗退，主導權逐漸轉移至中韓企業。此前已有海信收購東芝電視事業、鴻海入主夏普的案例，而此次索尼選擇以合資形式讓渡控股權，某種程度上也象徵著「日系彩電時代」的正式落幕。未來的電視產業，將更明確地進入由中國供應鏈效率與品牌整合能力主導的競爭新階段，而索尼，則選擇以技術與內容影響力，繼續在產業上游保有話語權。

On January 20, 2026, TCL Electronics and Sony officially announced that they had signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint venture dedicated to taking over Sony’s home entertainment business. According to the disclosed framework, TCL will hold a 51% stake while Sony will retain 49%, with the joint venture scheduled to begin operations in April 2027. Once the news was released, it immediately drew widespread attention across the global home appliance and consumer electronics industries, being widely regarded as one of the most symbolic structural turning points in the television sector in recent years.

Under the current plan, the joint venture will comprehensively assume responsibility for Sony’s television and home audio businesses, covering the entire value chain from research and development to manufacturing, supply chain management, marketing, and global sales. Notably, products will continue to carry the highly influential “Sony” and “BRAVIA” brands, allowing brand equity and consumer trust in the premium segment to be preserved. From an operational perspective, however, TCL will not only gain a controlling stake but also take the lead in management and day-to-day operations, effectively becoming the principal operator of Sony’s home display business.

From a market standpoint, the potential impact of this collaboration on the global television landscape is profound if it proceeds as planned. Based on 2025 shipment figures, TCL shipped approximately 30.4 million televisions worldwide, securing a 13.8% market share and ranking second globally. Sony, by contrast, shipped only about 4.1 million units, with its market share falling to 1.9%, highlighting a clear gap in scale. Should the joint venture successfully integrate the strengths of both companies, their combined global market share could reach roughly 16.7%, theoretically surpassing Samsung and positioning the group as the world’s largest television supplier by volume—fundamentally reshaping a competitive landscape long dominated by Korean brands.

Strategically, this partnership represents more than a simple aggregation of scale; it is a complementary alliance that addresses each party’s weaknesses. For TCL, while it already possesses strong advantages in panel supply chains, manufacturing efficiency, and penetration of the mid-to-high-end market, it has traditionally lagged Sony in top-tier image processing, picture tuning expertise, and premium brand pricing power. Through the joint venture, TCL gains legitimate and in-depth access to Sony’s decades-long accumulation of display technologies, including the XR image processing chips, proprietary color and contrast tuning philosophies, and display optimization tailored for film and gaming content. These assets are expected to help TCL close the remaining gap in its high-end product lineup.

For Sony, the decision signals a clear strategic shift. In recent years, Sony’s television business has faced persistent challenges related to high costs, limited scale, and unstable profitability. Rather than continuing to commit heavily to capital-intensive manufacturing and supply chain operations, Sony is leveraging the joint venture to transition toward a lighter-asset model. By allowing TCL to shoulder production and sales pressures, Sony can refocus on its core strengths—image technologies, brand value, and ecosystem integration across PlayStation, content services, and film and television production. This approach aligns closely with Sony’s broader repositioning as a comprehensive “entertainment technology group.”

Viewed within the broader industry context, this partnership is also a continuation of the overall decline of Japanese television brands. Over the past decade, rising costs and intensifying competition have steadily eroded their market leadership, with dominance shifting toward Chinese and Korean manufacturers. Previous milestones included Hisense’s acquisition of Toshiba’s TV business and Foxconn’s takeover of Sharp. Sony’s decision to relinquish control through a joint venture structure can thus be seen as another symbolic marker of the end of the “Japanese TV era.” Looking ahead, the television industry is set to enter a new phase defined by the efficiency and integration capabilities of Chinese supply chains, while Sony seeks to maintain its influence upstream through technology leadership and content-driven ecosystems.