Panasonic, a company once highly regarded for its plasma TVs (remember those?), is now giving up on making its own TVs.
According to a press release, the company is entering a strategic partnership with China-based Shenzhen Skyworth Display Technology Co., Ltd., which will take over the manufacturing, marketing, and sales of Panasonic TVs.
The new partnership, which is officially effective starting Apr. 1, 2026, looks to secure the future of Panasonic-branded TVs for the foreseeable future, according to Forbes. It is also noted that this may set off alarm bells for people who are fans of Panasonic’s reputation for premium picture and sound quality, but both Panasonic and Skyworth have stressed that the company will “provide expertise and quality assurance to uphold its renowned audiovisual standards with full joint development on top-end OLED models.”
Essentially, this new partnership will enable Panasonic to leverage Skyworth’s major screen production capacities and supply capabilities. As Forbes noted, the company is currently the world’s third biggest producer of OLED panels. The publication also noted that this secures panels and electronic supplies for Panasonic and could make its TVs more price-competitive.
It’s not yet clear what this will mean for Canadians and North America as a whole. Skyworth will continue manufacturing and distributing Panasonic-branded TVs in Europe and North America, but notably, Panasonic pulled out of Canada in 2020. It’s not clear if we’ll see the brand return to Canada via Skyworth.
Now, Panasonic isn’t the only Japanese TV manufacturer to move production to a Chinese manufacturer. Recently, Sony revealed that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Huizhou-based TCL to establish a joint venture in which TCL would own 51 per cent of Sony’s home entertainment business and assume operations in 2027.
Header image credit: Panasonic
Source: Forbes
