The global TV business has just turned upside down again. Weeks after Sony sent shockwaves through the industry by negotiating a manufacturing partnership with TCL, Panasonic has taken its own decisive step. The company announced a “strategic partnership” with its Chinese headquarters Skyworth focused on strengthening and accelerating the sustainable growth of its US TV business. The agreement will enter into force on April 1, 2026.
Let’s not pretend these are routine supply chain adjustments. When two of Japan’s most recognizable TV brands shift their manufacturing relationships to Chinese manufacturing giants in a matter of weeks, it signals something bigger than cost optimization. It reflects a structural reset in the way premium TV brands compete in 2026 – where scale, panel access, price pressure and speed to market are as important as brand heritage.
Sony’s move was significant. Panasonic’s is just as telling. The balance of power in the TV industry continues to shift east, and legacy brands are adapting in real time.
“North America remains an important strategic region for Panasonic, where consumers consistently recognize the exceptional quality and value of our products,” said Akira Toyoshima, CEO by Panasonic entertainment and communications company (PEAC). “The new business model change will combine the power of Panasonic’s technical excellence in AV processing, quality and service standards with the global economies of scale of Skyworth’s production volume and speed to deliver a winning formula for the customer value proposition..”
What it means for the US TV market in 2026
Here’s what we know so far.
Skyworth USA Corporation will act as the primary operating partner in the US, providing sales, marketing and logistics. Panasonic, meanwhile, retains responsibility for development expertise and quality assurance to ensure established performance standards are maintained.
In plain terms, Skyworth will produce Panasonic-branded TVs for the US market.
Panasonic has also confirmed that it will continue to support all TVs sold through April 2026, as well as models produced under the new agreement. Customer service and warranty coverage are not handed over and forgotten.
The real question already on TV reviewers and industry analysts is what this means for Panasonic’s future product development, especially its highly regarded OLED series. In recent years, Panasonic has delivered OLED models with some of the strongest video processing and image accuracy in the category.
If production shifts, will the performance DNA remain intact? That’s the part that will determine whether this is simply a corporate reshuffle or something with bigger implications.
Skyworth is hardly new to OLED. The company already produces OLED TVs under its own brand using LG Display panels; the same panel supplier that Panasonic relies on. On paper, this creates technical overlap. In practice, things get complicated in the American market.
Panasonic has struggled to regain meaningful traction in the United States. Once the undisputed king of plasma, the company exited that business in 2014, leading to a decade-long absence from the US TV market. Although Panasonic continued the TV business internationally, their return to the crowded US TV market in 2024 failed to capture the attention of shoppers, despite generally high praise among reviewers.
So what happens now?
The likely framework is simple: Skyworth produces Panasonic-branded TVs at a cost structure designed to regain market share. That requires profitability for both companies. This is not charity. It’s math.
Panasonic will define the product, whether OLED or LCD, based on its performance standards, processing expertise and brand expectations. Skyworth’s role will be to develop and source the components at scale to achieve these objectives.
The pressure point comes when Panasonic’s traditional quality standards push costs beyond what the U.S. market can bear. At that stage, both parties face a decision: maintain any performance advantage and accept limited volume, or adjust the specifications to achieve competitive price levels.
That balance between maintaining Panasonic’s performance DNA and achieving aggressive pricing will determine whether this partnership strengthens or quietly reshapes the brand.
In other words, if you’re looking for a high-quality Panasonic TV built entirely according to the company’s current structure, now might be the time to act. Once the Skyworth deal goes into effect and newly produced models arrive in the US, the formula could change, even slightly.
That’s not a knock on Skyworth. It is a reality of large-scale production in a brutally competitive market. If a TV can’t be produced at a price that resonates with a broad enough audience, it won’t survive long, no matter how good it looks in a calibration lab. Performance certainly matters, but sales volume keeps the lights on.
Who is Skyworth?
Skyworth may not have the brand recognition in the US of other Chinese heavyweights Hisense And TCLbut globally it is a great force. The company ships approx 36 million TVs annually and is among the top five in the world in TV revenues, reportedly leading the way Sony in total TV sales revenue. That’s no small player, and that’s why this move by Panasonic is quite important.
Under the wider one Skyworth Group umbrella, the company produces much more than just televisions. The portfolio includes consumer electronics, display equipment, digital set-top boxes, security systems, networking and communications equipment, semiconductors, refrigerators, washing machines, smartphones and LED lighting. Skyworth sells products under its own brand and also operates as an OEM for other companies – a role that makes this deal with Panasonic less surprising.
In the US, recent launches from the Skyworth brand include the Canvas Elite Art TV and the Clarus S1 Outdoor TV – niche-oriented models aimed at lifestyle and specialty segments rather than immediate mainstream dominance.
In addition to the agreement between Panasonic and Skyworth, the company has also outlined a broader business shift. As of April 1, 2026, Panasonic confirmed that P.E.A.C (Panasonic Entertainment & Communication) will be reintegrated into the main structure of Panasonic Corporation. The stated goal is to strengthen the long-term positioning of Panasonic’s consumer activities worldwide, including in the United States.
The bottom line
The TV business isn’t just competitive in 2026. What we’re seeing is a monumental power shift that’s going to change what we buy and from brands that many of us might not have thought about just a few years ago. But is that bad news for consumers?
On the one hand, display technology continues to evolve at a relentless pace: brighter OLED panels, better processing, smarter platforms. On the other hand, brand stability is anything but secure. Former giants are fighting to stay relevant, and consolidation in both TV and audio continues to thin the herd. Old names don’t disappear quietly; they are restructuring and working with rivals in China to make themselves more competitive. That tension was clearly visible in me CES 2026.
While walking the halls of the Venetian during the show, I saw a suite that said Skyworth. Inside were several televisions clearly displaying the Panasonic logo. No concept sketches. No mockups. Finished sets. I took a few pictures. That didn’t last long.
I was quickly told that photography was not allowed and that what I saw was not something I could report on. At that moment it was clear that something was going on. The question was not whether Skyworth was involved with Panasonic, but how deep the relationship would go.
Now we know.
With Panasonic’s official announcement confirming a strategic partnership and production shift, what seemed like a quiet industry rumor at a CES trade show has turned into a formal restructuring of one of Japan’s most storied TV brands.
In the case of both Sony And Panasonicit will likely take another year for the true impact of their manufacturing partnerships with major China-based TV companies to become apparent, as new product cycles are rolled out and revised models reach the US market. 2026 will be a transition year, and 2027 should provide a more accurate picture of how these strategic shifts impact performance, pricing and brand positioning.
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