Hisense Directly Targets HVAC Market Prioritized by Samsung and LG... China Steps Up Offensive with Unitree Robotics

At CES 2026, the world's largest electronics and information technology exhibition, which opened on the 6th (local time) in Las Vegas, U.S., Chinese companies expanded their presence by highlighting both technological prowess and commercial viability across all areas of artificial intelligence, robotics, and mobility. Moving beyond previous exhibitions centered on televisions and home appliances, these companies filled the main sections of the exhibition hall with large-scale displays and prominently showcased products that are ready for mass production and actual sales.

The area occupying the largest space at the Las Vegas Convention Center was also the Chinese companies' exhibition hall. By simultaneously displaying everything from humanoid robots to AI-powered home appliances and core components for autonomous driving, Chinese exhibitors established a competitive structure encompassing the entire industry, rather than focusing on a single product. On-site, there was a notable increase in products ready for immediate market deployment, rather than just concept demonstrations.

On the 6th local time, the TCL exhibition hall is bustling with visitors at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, where CES 2026, the world's largest electronics and information technology exhibition, is being held. Photo by So-Yeon Park

In the robotics sector, Chinese companies’ technological capabilities were most evident. More than half of the exhibitors showcasing humanoid robots were Chinese firms. Among them, Unitree Robotics attracted one of the largest crowds at CES this year. At booth 9263 in the North Hall, Unitree unveiled both its compact humanoid robot G1 and large humanoid robot H2.

The G1 demonstrated AI-based hand manipulation technology and complex movements, suggesting its potential applications in household chores and education. The H2, standing about 180 centimeters tall and equipped with 31 degrees of freedom in its joints, showcased performance targeting industrial inspections and heavy equipment operations. The B2, an industrial quadruped robot, emphasized its applicability in industrial settings by demonstrating rugged terrain navigation and high-load maneuvering. Beyond merely selling robot hardware, Unitree also presented factory automation solutions and robot-as-a-service business models, revealing its strategy for business expansion.

Chinese companies also showed clear strategic changes in the convergence of AI and home appliances. Major television manufacturers exhibited a wide range of products incorporating proprietary AI technologies, rapidly narrowing the technology gap with Korean companies. Small and medium-sized enterprises also showcased cleaning robots and home appliances featuring AI control systems, emphasizing integrated control structures tailored to real-world usage environments.

Hisense put its air conditioning technology front and center. In a section separated from living spaces, the company concentrated air conditioning, heating, and ventilation equipment to present a unified HVAC system. By highlighting a structure in which indoor air quality and user patterns are analyzed and automatically controlled by AI, Hisense showcased solutions for both residential and commercial facilities. With growing demand for high-efficiency cooling technologies driven by the proliferation of AI data centers, it is increasingly recognized that Hisense is directly targeting the HVAC segment recently prioritized by Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.

TCL stood out by focusing its exhibition on in-vehicle displays rather than home appliances. At the forefront, the company displayed a vehicle model equipped with large dashboard panels and rollable displays, underscoring the potential for display utilization inside vehicles. By extending display technologies accumulated in the home environment into the automotive sector, TCL revealed a strategy to broaden its scope beyond home appliances and become a comprehensive automotive electronics company.

On the 6th (local time), the Dreamy exhibition hall was bustling with visitors at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, where CES 2026, the world's largest electronics and information technology exhibition, is being held. Photo by So-Yeon Park

In the mobility and autonomous driving components sectors, lidar companies continued their offensive. Hesai Technology unveiled its next-generation sensor lineup and announced plans to expand production capacity, targeting both the complete vehicle and robotics industries. In the automotive field, Great Wall Motors showcased a large gasoline engine amid the trend toward new energy vehicles, aiming to address diverse market demands simultaneously.

An industry official commented, "At this year’s CES, Chinese companies have advanced to a new level by presenting a large number of products that combine price competitiveness with mass production systems, moving beyond simple displays." As Chinese companies showcased both technology demonstrations and business models at CES 2026, there is growing analysis that they have entered a full-fledged competitive phase in the global electronics and technology markets.

On the 6th (local time), the Hisense exhibition hall was bustling with visitors at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, where CES 2026, the world's largest electronics and information technology exhibition, is being held. Photo by So-Yeon Park

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.