Panasonic, once renowned for its plasma TVs, is now quitting making its own TV sets. Today, it announced that Chinese company Skyworth will take over the manufacturing, marketing and sales of Panasonic-branded TVs.
Skyworth is a Shenzhen-headquartered TV brand. The company claims to be a “top three global provider of the Android TV platform”. In July, research firm Omdia reported that Skyworth was among the top five TV brands by sales revenue in the first quarter of 2025; However, Skyworth has not been able to maintain that position regularly.
Panasonic announced it at a “launch event,” FlatpanelsHD reported today. During the event, a Panasonic representative reportedly said:
Under the agreement the new partner will lead sales, marketing and logistics across the region, while Panasonic will provide expertise and quality assurance to maintain its renowned audiovisual standards with full joint development on top-end OLED models.
Panasonic also said it will “provide support for all Panasonic TVs sold through March 2026 and all TVs available from April.”
Skyworth-made Panasonic TVs will be sold in the US and Europe. In the latter geography, companies are aiming for double-digit market share.
Panasonic’s wavering TV business
Panasonic has been wavering on its commitment to the TV business for at least 12 years.
When plasmas took over the living room, Panasonic dominated the market. According to research from consultancy DisplaySearch, in 2010, Panasonic controlled 40.7 percent of the plasma panel market, surpassing Samsung (33.7 percent) and LG (23.2 percent). But in March 2014, Panasonic stopped making plasma TVs, pointing to the growing interest in flat-screen LCD TVs and the economic challenges posed by the bankruptcy of global investment bank Lehman Brothers. At the time, Panasonic reportedly had not made money from its popular, high-contrast plasma TVs for years.
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