We’re back with the week in Playback, and what a bombshell we must cover. It’s likely you’ve heard about it by now, but there’s a lot to unpack with this Sony news.
Quick recap for those who might have missed it: Sony is officially handing off its TV business to competitor TCL. We’ll leave a link to the full details of the arrangement down below, but what I want to talk about is what it says about the TV market in 2026.
It’s no secret that margins on TVs are abysmal. It’s not that there’s no profit to be made in TVs, it’s just that a lot more work goes into it to generate a lot less profit compared to other product categories. And that isn’t helped by the fact that TVs in general are constantly in this race to the bottom.
This is why a lot of TV manufacturers have begun shifting business models. Instead of trying to make money on hardware, companies like Roku and Vizio have shifted towards Platform+ models where the hardware is seen as more of a loss leader with the real money being made in advertising.
Of course, compounding on all of this is the recent aggression we’ve seen by Chinese manufacturers who are—say it with me—driving down the prices even further. And (if reports are to be believed) this trend in particular is only going to ramp up as time goes on as Chinese fabricators seek out other markets for growth as the Chinese display market enters its own winter.
Hisense has been very up front about its interest in American markets from new hires to new partnerships, but this development from TCL, by all accounts, came out of left field, handing off a colossal share of the TV market to the company.
It’s an incredible shakeup to start the New Year, leaving a lot of questions we likely won’t have the answers to for some time. So, for now, we should get back to the Playback. We’ve got our ISE Preview on deck, some intriguing news from Bang & Olufsen and the unfortunate passing of an incredible contributor to the industry that we would like to ask everyone pay their respects to.
The Week in Playback
- ISE 2026 Preview: A Bigger, Broader Vision for the Global AV and Smart-Spaces Market
- Bang & Olufsen to Preview New Landscape Speaker at Integrated Systems Europe 2026
- Sony is Handing Control of its TV Business to TCL
- Tom Coffin, Founder of Simply Reliable, Has Passed
CE Pro’s ISE Preview
Ahead of ISE 2026, Executive Editor Zachary Comeau sat down with ISE Managing Director Mike Blackman this week to talk more on the show this year.
“It’s the biggest ever ISE. We have over 1,700 exhibitors. Our registration is stronger than ever. Our show floor is over 100,000 square meters, which is almost a 10 percent increase,” Blackman told Comeau.
Beyond numbers, however, Blackman emphasized the importance the show is placing on new entrants to the market in 2026.
“We really saw the benefit of actually promoting new-to-market companies,” Blackman says. “We want to help companies with a leg up into the market. There’s matchmaking, there’s an investor forum, and we bring the whole ecosystem together for start-ups to find partners, find companies who can help them, and see potential customers.”
Bang & Olufsen Take to the Outdoors
A demurer announcement, Bang & Olufsen (B&O) stated it would be unveiling a new landscape speaker while at ISE 2026.
Very little information has been given surrounding the speaker, with not even a name being available now.
“For more than a century, Bang & Olufsen has crafted products that elevate the home,” says Nikolaj Wendelboe, interim CEO of Bang & Olufsen, adding that the ISE preview is intended to demonstrate how the landscape speaker integrates seamlessly with the company’s broader ecosystem and the wider home environment.
Sony Hands Off TV Business to TCL
On Jan. 20, Sony Corporation and TCL Electronics Holdings Limited announced they had signed a memorandum of understanding to form a new global joint venture that would place operational control of Sony’s television and home audio hardware business with TCL.
Under the proposed structure, TCL would own 51 percent of the new company, with Sony retaining 49 percent.
That majority stake gives TCL control over governance and day-to-day operations, including product development, manufacturing, logistics, sales, and customer support for Sony-branded TVs and home audio products.
The companies said they expect to finalize binding agreements by the end of March 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, with operations expected to begin in April 2027.
Tom Coffin, Founder of Simply Reliable, Passes
Tom Coffin, Founder of Simply Reliable, passed away this week following a year’s long battle with cancer.
In his life, Coffin dedicated himself and his work to uplifting others in the industry, whether it was through business-related software or thought leadership through his podcast and blog.
“As someone who deeply values partnership and collaboration, working alongside Tom has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” commented Jonathan Knapp, Coffin’s business partner and CTO at Simply Reliable before his passing.
No information on funeral services has been released to the public, so for now, those wishing to offer their support can do so by contributing their thoughts and prayers to Coffin’s family.
