Sony Steers Clear Of South Korea-China TV Price War, Eyes India Lead

Sony has said it will stay away from the ongoing price war between South Korean and Chinese television makers. The Japanese electronics company plans to compete through technology instead, as falling prices and rising component costs put pressure on margins across the global television industry.

The company sees India as a "strategic" market and expects it to become its largest BRAVIA television market globally within the next five to ten years, overtaking the United States. Sony is also focusing on the $500 to $1,500 price segment, roughly ₹47,700 to ₹1.43 lakh, where it has lost market share over the past five to ten years despite remaining a leader in the premium category.

No Chase On Price

"The TV industry is in a price war between South Korean brands and Chinese brands. Nobody can get profit," Nezu Daisuke, Global Head of Home Product Business Division at Sony Corporation, told Moneycontrol.

Daisuke said Sony has no plans to match prices offered by Chinese rivals. He said the company's prices may stay slightly higher than competitors, but Sony needs to convince customers why its televisions are worth choosing. He added that the company would continue to rely on picture and sound quality to stand out, rather than offering discounts.

His remarks come as Chinese brands such as Xiaomi, TCL and Hisense expand aggressively in India with feature-rich televisions at competitive prices. South Korean companies Samsung and LG continue to lead both the premium and mainstream segments in the country.

Daisuke said competition between South Korean and Chinese television makers has intensified worldwide, pushing down average selling prices even as memory and material costs keep rising. He pointed to the US market, where prices are falling despite higher input costs, and said the industry would need to wait for the South Korea-China rivalry to settle.

He compared the situation to the LCD panel industry, where years of intense competition eventually led Chinese manufacturers to dominate global panel production and lower prices.

India Central To Growth Plans

Daisuke said India is among the few markets in the world seeing consistent growth in large-screen televisions, calling it central to Sony's long-term strategy. He said no other market is growing the way India is, citing nearly 30 percent growth in demand for larger screens.

The United States remains Sony's biggest BRAVIA market at present, followed by India. Europe, Japan and Vietnam are among the company's other key markets. Daisuke said India's rising demand for premium and larger televisions would help it overtake the US within the next five to ten years.

Daisuke described the $500 to $1,500 segment as one of Sony's biggest growth opportunities. He said the company is developing products tailored specifically for India and other high-growth markets to win back lost share. He added that since taking charge of Sony's global home products business, he has expanded the company's engineering and product planning focus beyond North America and Europe to prioritise markets such as India.

Sony recently launched its premium True RGB BRAVIA televisions in this context. Daisuke said the company waited to launch the technology until it could ensure a clear improvement in picture quality.

Daisuke said India has also become an important market for Sony's home audio business, with India-specific products gaining acceptance in other markets. The company is expanding experiential retail spaces to let customers try its products before purchase.