Panasonic Ceases Television Production, Manufacturing and Sales Operations Transferred to China
Panasonic has confirmed it will no longer independently manufacture televisions and is transferring the manufacturing process, distribution, and marketing of Panasonic-branded televisions to Chinese technology company Skyworth, the company announced during a product launch event.
Through this partnership, Skyworth will assume control of sales activities, promotion, and supply chain management across various regions, including the United States and European markets.
For its part, Panasonic will contribute technical expertise and conduct quality control to ensure audiovisual quality standards remain intact. The two companies will also collaborate on developing a premium OLED product line.
The company has confirmed that after-sales support will continue for all Panasonic televisions sold until March 2026, as well as devices that begin to be marketed from April 2026 onwards.
Research firm Omdia reported in July that Skyworth ranks among the top five television brands based on global sales revenue in the first quarter of 2025, although its position was noted as not yet consistent.
This decision represents a continuation of Panasonic’s long-standing reduction in its television business involvement.
During the era when plasma televisions dominated the market, Panasonic was a market leader. According to data from DisplaySearch cited in reporting, in 2010, Panasonic controlled 40.7 per cent of the global plasma panel market, surpassing Samsung and LG.
However, in March 2014, Panasonic halted plasma TV production due to growing interest in flat-screen LCD televisions and economic pressures following the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy.
That same year, Panasonic began reducing its television business in the United States and completely exited that market in 2016. In 2021, the company announced it would outsource all television production to an unnamed third party.
Although the company briefly returned to the US market in 2024 with OLED and Mini LED televisions described as designed and developed in Japan, in February 2025, Panasonic President Yuki Kusumi stated the company was “ready to sell” its television business if necessary.
With the agreement with Skyworth, Panasonic is expected to reduce the resources allocated to the television business whilst still generating revenue from Panasonic-branded television sales.
This move also indicates a continuing decline in television production in Japan. Several other Japanese companies such as Sharp, Toshiba, Hitachi, and Pioneer have previously exited television production.
Earlier this year, Tokyo-based Sony also announced the sale of 51 per cent of its home entertainment business, including televisions, to China-based TCL.
During the partnership launch event, Panasonic also showcased two OLED television prototypes, including one model using LG Display’s latest Tandem WOLED panel, indicating the possibility of new television designs with the Panasonic logo appearing in the near future.