TCL Beats Samsung in Global TV Shipments for December 2025

Samsung has long been the dominant force in the global TV market, and for as long as over two decades. But December 2025 brought an unusual twist, according to the latest data from Counterpoint Research, TCL overtook Samsung in global TV shipments for the month. This marks the first time in years that Samsung did not hold the top monthly position.

TCL beats Samsung in monthly TV shipments for the first time in years

Global TV shipments rose 1.6% year over year in December. TCL, however, grew much faster than the overall market, with shipments up 10% year over year. Strong demand in Asia Pacific, China, and the Middle East and Africa more than made up for weaker sales in North America and Western Europe. That momentum helped TCL pull ahead.

“TCL has been gaining ground for months, and a year-end surge pushed it past Samsung in December,” said Bob O’Brien, Research Director at Counterpoint. He noted that while the lead was limited to a single month, TCL’s shipments have shown consistent year-over-year growth, whereas Samsung’s have largely stagnated.

Samsung did post an 8% year over year increase in shipments in December. But gains in North and South America weren’t enough to offset declines in Western Europe and the Middle East and Africa. As a result, its market share slipped 4 percentage points month over month. Still, Samsung held on to the top spot for the fourth quarter overall, shipping 2% more TVs than it did a year earlier.

The bigger question is whether December was just a seasonal bump or a sign of tougher competition ahead. If TCL can build real traction in the premium segment, possibly with help from its alliance with Sony, it could turn into a serious long term threat to Samsung’s TV crown.