Television market shifts: Streaming competition and rising panel costs

The television market is undergoing shifts in both consumption methods and hardware costs. A comparison of streaming services including waipu. TV, Zattoo, Joyn, Sky Stream, and HD+ IP examines whether Over-the-Top (OTT) services can fully replace traditional cable, satellite, and antenna setups. The evaluation focuses on ease of setup, app stability, user interface intuitiveness, and live TV performance.

Simultaneously, the cost of Smart TV hardware may rise due to changes in the display supply chain. Chinese suppliers such as BOE, TCL CSOT, and HKC are reportedly increasing prices for LCD panels. These suppliers, which previously gained market share through aggressive pricing, have notified major buyers like LG and Samsung of these hikes. These price increases are expected to impact the market starting in the fourth quarter of 2026, potentially affecting new TV generations in 2027 and reducing the availability of deep discounts during major sales events.