President Yong Seokwoo of Samsung Electronics: "Confronting Chinese TV Offensive Head-On with AI and Enhanced Lineup" (Comprehensive)

At the 2026 TV Launch Event

"We Will Capture Both Shipment Volumes and Sales"

"Technological Gap with Chinese Firms Remains"

Diversifying Lineup, Expanding AI to Entry-Level Models

Samsung Electronics has expressed its determination to maintain market leadership amid the pursuit by Chinese TV manufacturers, by reinforcing its technological edge—including artificial intelligence (AI)—and reorganizing its comprehensive lineup, spanning from premium to entry-level models.

Yong Seok-woo, President of Samsung Electronics' Visual Display Business Division, is speaking at the new product launch event for "The First Look Seoul 2026" on the 15th. Samsung Electronics

Yong Seok-woo, President of Samsung Electronics' Visual Display Business, spoke with reporters at the new product launch event for 'The First Look Seoul 2026' on the 15th, stating, "This year, we will significantly overhaul our lineup, focusing on premium products, and pay close attention not only to sales but also to shipment volumes. Through this, we aim to broaden consumer choices and further improve our market share."

He expressed particular confidence regarding the technological gap with Chinese companies. President Yong said, "Although China is releasing RGB (red, green, blue) TVs, Samsung has a technological advantage, such as individually driving micro-unit light-emitting diodes (LEDs). While China may catch up, we are already prepared to stay ahead at that moment."

Regarding Chinese brands' AI TV strategies, he highlighted 'user experience' and 'security' as Samsung's differentiators. President Yong explained, "The goal of Samsung AI TV is to serve as an aggregator (integrated platform) for a wide range of AI experiences available on the screen. Unlike Chinese products, which have limitations in terms of data integrity, privacy, and security, Samsung will provide an AI experience that everyone can enjoy."

Addressing rumors of a reduction in Samsung's operations in China, he commented, "It is true that the business environment is challenging due to competitive conditions. However, since we are also developing a service business in addition to TV sales, there is no significant cause for concern."

Regarding concerns that the joint venture between Sony of Japan and TCL of China could threaten Samsung's No. 1 position in the TV market, he dismissed them, saying, "Sony's shipment volume is only about one-tenth that of Samsung. A mere physical combination of Sony and TCL will not be enough, and Samsung can fully compete with its additional technological capabilities compared to these companies."

He also showed a flexible stance on LG Electronics entering a price competition by launching entry-level OLED TVs in the second half of the year. President Yong remarked, "It is reasonable to develop various features and pursue cost reduction measures to win consumer choice. Samsung is also preparing a diverse lineup, and we will especially maximize value by expanding differentiated AI capabilities to all entry-level products."

Samsung Electronics' Micro RGB TV 115-inch model. Samsung Electronics

On this day, Samsung Electronics unveiled new TV models equipped with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, officially declaring the start of the AI TV mass adoption era. With Samsung’s unique integrated AI platform, 'Vision AI Companion', users can instantly search for content-related information through voice commands while watching TV. To achieve this, the TVs are equipped with the industry's widest range of AI service platforms, including Bixby, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot.

In addition to simple information retrieval, features that maximize entertainment experiences—such as 'AI Soccer Mode Pro' and 'AI Sound Control Pro'—have also been substantially enhanced.

AI Soccer Mode Pro uses AI to analyze game scenes in real time, precisely capturing even the subtle movements of the ball and supporting vivid crowd cheers and commentary. AI Sound Control Pro analyzes dialogue, background music, and sound effects in real time, optimizing them automatically and allowing users to selectively adjust or mute individual sounds, such as the commentator's voice or crowd noise. AI Upscaling Pro analyzes low-resolution video in real time and converts it into high-quality images with enhanced detail and depth.

At the event, President Yong declared, "We designate this year as the inaugural year of the AI TV mass adoption era and will lead the global market, starting with Korea." He added, "We plan to equip 99% of the new Samsung TV models released domestically this year with AI features." He emphasized, "Samsung TVs, with enhanced AI capabilities, will become an ever-present companion in customers' daily lives."

To further solidify leadership in the premium TV market, the 'Micro RGB (red, green, blue)' lineup has also been significantly expanded. Micro RGB TVs use RGB LEDs smaller than 100 micrometers (μm) as the backlight and independently control each color precisely, delivering outstanding picture quality as an ultra-premium product. Last August, Samsung Electronics unveiled a 115-inch model; early this year, it introduced a new 130-inch model, and the lineup has been expanded to include 65-, 75-, 85-, and 100-inch models. The top-tier 'RH95' model is equipped with the 'Micro RGB AI Engine Pro' processor, which analyzes each scene in real time and classifies color tones to deliver vivid picture quality.

This year’s newly added 'Mini LED' TV lineup features ultra-precise quantum mini LED light sources, offering exceptional brightness, accurate contrast, and vibrant colors. In addition, the 'The Frame' art TV series now includes a large 98-inch model, similar in size to actual artworks, allowing users to enjoy art at home.

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