Before now, Samsung usually reshuffles top roles in December, but this recent decision came midyear. The company did not give a reason.

Won-jin moves into the role from Samsung’s Global Marketing Office. Before joining the company in 2014, he worked at Google, where he held senior positions, including a leadership role in Korea. 

Over the years, he has been linked to the growth of Samsung’s TV and mobile services operations.

His appointment also breaks the tradition of placing engineers in charge of Samsung’s TV division. This time, it has chosen someone with a background in marketing, content and services.

Samsung’s TV business is facing slower demand and higher costs. The company said last month that profit from its TV segment fell in the first quarter, as material expenses increased and sales did not keep pace.

Competition is also getting worse as Chinese brands such as TCL Electronics and Hisense are expanding quickly, helped by strong domestic demand and lower pricing. At the same time, Sony has entered a new partnership in home entertainment, adding pressure across the market.

Samsung still leads global TV shipments, a position it has held since 2006. However, the gap is narrowing with Chinese manufacturers gaining share and expanding into more markets.

Inside the company, the TV and home appliance division recorded losses in late 2025, including a sharp deficit in the fourth quarter. It returned to profit in the first quarter of 2026, but the recovery is still fragile.

In response, Samsung is adjusting its strategy, cutting back on lower-margin production and focusing on markets where it performs better, including the United States. Reports have also shown the company may scale down or stop TV sales in China this year.

At the same time, Samsung is putting more weight on services. Platforms such as Samsung TV Plus and its Art Store are expected to generate steady income beyond the hardware sales business. The company is also expanding artificial intelligence features across its TV range, from premium models to entry-level sets.

Marketing will play a bigger role as well, with major events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, Samsung is likely to step up promotions to drive demand.

The report revealed that the company could reach a final decision as early as the end of April. If approved, Samsung would begin winding down sales of products including televisions, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners in the Chinese market.

While retail sales may end, Samsung is expected to keep its factories in China. Those sites would instead support overseas demand by producing goods for export markets.

The planned exit is influenced by the number of Chinese manufacturers now operating in the local market with lower prices and stronger product quality. Brands such as Haier, Hisense and TCL have also expanded beyond China, increasing competition abroad.

Samsung once held a stronger position in China’s consumer electronics market, but local competitors have steadily reduced its share in recent years.

In a statement, Samsung said it regularly reviews its global business structure in response to changes in operating conditions. The company added that nothing has been decided regarding speculation over possible restructuring in China.

If the withdrawal goes ahead, Samsung would lose direct access to one of the world’s largest appliance markets. However, it would still maintain a manufacturing base in China while focusing sales on regions where its premium products are more competitive.

According to Omdia’s full-year 2025 global shipment data, Hisense ranked No. 1 worldwide in the 100-inch-and-above TV segment for three consecutive years (2023–2025), with global shipment share reaching 57.1% in 2025.

Hisense also maintained its No. 1 position in the global Laser TV category in 2025, marking seven consecutive years of worldwide leadership, with a global market share of 70.3%.

These results confirm Hisense’s dominance across the most strategically important large-screen categories, where both scale and technological capability matter.

This sustained leadership is driven by Hisense’s long-term commitment to advanced display technologies, most notably RGB MiniLED.

As The Origin of RGB MiniLED, Hisense has led the technology’s evolution from early research to large-scale commercialization, establishing clear advantages in color accuracy, brightness control, and viewing comfort on ultra-large screens.

Omdia’s CES 2026 recap further supports this trajectory, identifying RGB MiniLED TVs as a key driver of the industry’s next growth phase, with rapid expansion expected from 2026, reflecting a broader shift toward technologies where Hisense has long held leadership.

Looking ahead, Hisense is uniquely positioned to extend this advantage. It is the only brand with a complete display technology ecosystem spanning RGB MiniLED, TriChroma Laser, and MicroLED, enabling a comprehensive approach to next-generation visual innovation.

At CES 2026, Hisense showcased the 116UXS, the first TV powered by RGB MiniLED evo, alongside the UR8 and UR9 RGB MiniLED lineups and the Laser Projector XR10, all recognized with multiple CES awards.

Importantly for South Africa, this global leadership translates directly into local impact. Hisense South Africa operates a local manufacturing facility based in Atlantis, South Africa, producing world-class large-screen TVs among other technology products.

The facility supports job creation, local skills improvement, and contributes to the country’s industrial growth agenda.

As global demand for 100-inch+ and Laser TVs accelerates, South African consumers and retailers benefit from faster access to cutting-edge innovation, while the local economy benefits from continued investment, localisation and long-term manufacturing capability.

This reinforces Hisense’s commitment not only to global excellence, but to strengthening South Africa’s position within the international consumer electronics value chain.

Designed around real-life home scenarios, Hisense’s CES booth brings premium large-screen entertainment together with intelligent kitchen, air, and laundry solutions.

Large-screen TVs anchor shared family moments, while AI-enabled appliances demonstrate how technology integrates seamlessly into everyday living. Also making its debut is the Humanoid Service Robot Harley.

With 31 degrees of freedom, Harley delivers lifelike gestures and interactions to boost engaging and enhancing on-site experiences. Alongside this, the humanoid robot R1 (A2) and the home companion robot Beta are also on display.

As part of its long-standing engagement with global sports events, Hisense also demonstrated how its display technologies extend beyond consumer entertainment to professional applications.

During CES 2026, the Hisense booth welcomed a visiting delegation led by the FIFA President, who toured the exhibition and expressed strong recognition of the Hisense Elite Collection for FIFA World Cup 2026TM, which includes RGB MiniLED TVs for clearer visualization of key match moments.

In displays, Hisense highlights RGB MiniLED evo, a true system-level evolution in large-screen TV technology, led by the debut of the 116UXS RGB MiniLED TV, the first product powered by this platform.

RGB MiniLED evo introduces an industry-first Sky Blue–Cyan fourth LED into the backlight, expanding color coverage to up to 110% of BT.2020 while delivering more natural color expression and improved viewing comfort through genuine system-level evolution.

Hisense also globally debuts the Laser Projector XR10, delivering 6,000 ANSI lumens to create a professional-grade home cinema experience. Designed for immersive viewing up to 300 inches, XR10 brings enhanced brightness and rich color performance to dedicated home theater environments. Together with RGB MiniLED TVs, TriChroma Laser extends Hisense’s large-screen display offering from premium living-room viewing to dedicated home cinema environments.

Building on the evolution of the VIDAA OS, Hisense announced a strategic collaboration with Microsoft to integrate Copilot’s generative AI capabilities into its new platform.

The collaboration also extends to Xbox cloud gaming, bringing world-class game titles directly to Hisense TVs—no console required.

Beyond displays, Hisense showcases a range of smart home innovations. The X-zone Master, the world’s first X-in-one heat pump washer-dryer, introduces a modular multi-drum system that allows users to configure flexible layouts while enabling more precise, fabric-specific care.

Complementing this, Hisense’s premium U Series is designed to deliver a fresher and softer laundry solution with ultimate filtration, ventilation, and static removal technology.

Hisense is dedicated to enhancing everyday life with a range of AI-powered home appliances. The PUREFLAT SMART SERIES refrigerator features an integrated large smart display with a built-in ConnectLife Hub, delivering a modern, connected kitchen experience by streamlining appliance interaction and smart home control.

Meanwhile, the Red Dot Award-winning Air Conditioner Air Master features a high-precision sensing system that can adjust airflow, temperature and humidity for perfect air.

Its intelligence is further demonstrated by the smart voice assistant and the automatic energy-saving mode, while its HI-NANO technology further ensures indoor comfort.

Hisense’s presence at CES 2026 is further underscored by four CES Innovation Awards. Among the winners, 163 MX and the X-zone Master each received the CES 2026 Best of Innovation Award in their respective fields, recognizing Hisense’s leadership across display and home appliance categories.

Through “Innovating a Brighter Life,” Hisense continues to demonstrate how human-centered innovation can transform advanced technology into more comfortable, connected, and meaningful home experiences.

According to Omdia’s latest half-year data, Hisense ranked No. 1 worldwide in shipments of 100-inch and above TVs in the first half of 2025, capturing an impressive 58.0% global volume share.

This milestone reflects Hisense’s long-term investment in large-screen display technology, much of which is already being produced locally at the company’s Atlantis factory in Cape Town, where up to 1 million TVs are manufactured annually.

As an innovator at the forefront of display technology, Hisense is preparing to unveil its next chapter, RGB-MiniLED. Built on years of research and development, this breakthrough delivers purer colours, ultra-high brightness, and precise contrast, achieving 100% BT.2020 colour gamut coverage for truly lifelike images.

Recognized as the origin of RGB-MiniLED, Hisense continues to set industry benchmarks with world-first achievements such as the 116-inch world’s largest RGB-MiniLED TV, offering audiences a level of scale and cinematic immersion never seen before.

Beyond technical performance, RGB-MiniLED is designed to bring users closer to reality, transforming every viewing moment into an emotionally compelling experience.

These innovations will be taking center stage at IFA 2025 in Berlin, where Hisense is to host a media event to unveil its latest breakthroughs in display technology and AI-powered home appliances, sharing a holistic vision for the future of connected and intelligent living.

South Africans will soon experience these innovations first-hand as the brand continues to roll out its premium big-screen models, meeting rising demand for immersive home entertainment.

“South Africa is one of Hisense’s most important markets,” says Luna Nortjie, deputy general manager at Hisense SA. “Not only are we producing world-class TVs locally in Atlantis, but we’re also committed to ensuring South Africans enjoy the same access to cutting-edge display technologies that are shaping the future of entertainment globally.”

The announcement was made last year at a special event at Shanghai Tower attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström, and Hisense Group Chairman Jia Shaoqian.

Speaking at the partnership launch, Gianni Infantino, FIFA president said:

“We are delighted to welcome Hisense, a global market-leading brand, as an Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. Hisense’s commitment to innovation and technology aligns with our vision for this tournament, which will bring together the 32 best teams from around the world for an unforgettable celebration of our game that will revolutionise club football.”

“This partnership will offer fans unique ways to engage with the tournament, both on and off the pitch, while laying a technological and innovation-led foundation for the FIFA Club World Cup to flourish.”

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will unite the world’s 32 top clubs every four years. The partnership with this inaugural edition of the tournament will provide the perfect platform for Hisense to further grow its global brand among fans of the world’s most popular sport and club teams, and to showcase the state-of-the-art technology and appliances with Hisense TVs to be visible across the tournament.

Jia Shaoqian, Hisense group chairman added:

“We are proud to be an Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, which is a competition among the top clubs from all six confederations, representing a dialogue between champions, a collision of first-class excellence. This perfectly aligns with Hisense’s pursuit of the champion spirit and our latest corporate goal to build a world-class enterprise and brand.”

“As the pioneer in AI televisions, Hisense’s newly launched AI TV series is a perfect match for the FIFA Club World Cup. The technological foundation of Hisense AI TV is the independently developed Xinghai large model, which supports continuous smart upgrades across various appliance categories, significantly enhancing the user experience and market competitiveness. Together with FIFA, Hisense will present the best Club World Cup for global audiences.”

Hisense aims to build a world-class enterprise and brand with a continued focus on top-tier sports assets. By officially signing on as an Official Partner for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, the planet’s brand-new premier club competition, Hisense is advancing its sports marketing strategy and accelerating its globalisation efforts.

Hisense has been a global partner for two consecutive FIFA World Cups and three UEFA European Championships.

The company is striving for the intelligent development of its products, crossing from TV, Laser TV, air conditioners, and refrigerators.

In TV product line, Hisense has introduced a 100-inch TV equipped with an AI picture quality chip, providing users with an immersive viewing experience.

With its refrigerators and air conditioner products, Hisense’s ConnectLife platform supports the interconnectivity of smart home appliances, enabling seamless collaboration among household devices.

The collaboration with FIFA underscores Hisense’s commitment to delivering pioneering home appliance technology in the pursuit of improving everyday life, with innovative products and technologies in enhancing the viewing experiences for fans worldwide and making football more accessible and more engaging for all.

Located opposite Wadata Plaza by Michael Okpara Street, Zone 5, Wuse, Abuja, Hisense commissioned the store in partnership with Fouani Nigeria Limited, its strategic partner and official distributor in Nigeria.

This launch highlights Hisense’s commitment to enhancing its presence in Nigeria, a key market in West Africa, and delivering advanced, consumer-centric innovations to meet the region’s evolving needs.

The new brand store, in its strategic location, marks a significant step in bringing the brand’s innovative products—featuring the latest technology and AI-powered solutions—closer to consumers in Abuja.

The store offers an extensive range of Hisense products, including innovative smart home appliances, premium televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners.

The brand store opening event on December 13 was held in the presence of the senior management from Hisense and Fouani Nigeria Limited, and other distinguished guests from the press.

This milestone symbolizes a shared vision to offer local consumers the opportunity to elevate their homes with cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art appliances.

Commenting on the new store opening, Mostapha Khrains, marketing manager for Hisense, Abuja, said:

“Today is a remarkable day for us. We are glad to announce the opening of the first Hisense flagship mall in West Africa not only in Nigeria, bringing the latest technology displayed closer to the community, and to make it possible for the community to know and bring the services closer to the people. We have the most services after sale.

He said that Hisense has lots of [electronics] technology varieties such as television, washing machine, microwave, fridges and always ahead of other companies.

“We are the most affordable brand in Nigeria and we can boast about it also”, he said.

Mr. Khrains said the company (Hisense) has been able to create about thousands of jobs for Nigerians ranging from factory, marketing staff and drivers across the country.

This opening marks a significant step in Hisense’s broader regional growth strategy, including key milestones such as establishing an R&D center in Dubai, a factory in Egypt, and partnerships with globally renowned sports organizations.

Hisense has cemented its reputation as a leader in the technology and sports sectors by becoming the first Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, renewing its sponsorship of UEFA Euro 2024, and maintaining a strategic alliance with Real Madrid.

These efforts emphasize Hisense’s vision to connect with consumers through impactful global initiatives and innovations that resonate with diverse audiences.

As the official distributor of Hisense in Nigeria, Fouani reiterates its commitment to the economy and community by bringing state-of-the-art brands, products and solutions.

Through its new brand shop in Abuja, Hisense invites visitors to discover the latest technological advancements and experience a world of smarter, connected living.

This soft landing which heralds the resumption of another academic year across the country is the authentic sales campaign aimed at ameliorating the financial stress thrown up by high inflation to meet the diverse needs of the educational sector.

The campaign, set to launch on Monday, August 19, promises to be a game-changer for the educational community from the youngest learners to tertiary-level students.

The company has curated an extensive range of genuine products across multiple segments, as it is its hallmark, ensuring everyone can find what they need to prepare for the new academic session.

To this end, Konga will be offering an extensive array of educational materials ranging from backpacks, laptop bags, notebooks, electronic devices, lunch packs and stationeries, among others, to students of all ages to prepare them for an excellent academic year.

Parents of younger children are not left out in this exclusive offer, as Konga has in stock for them items like diapers, wipes, mats, and toys, among others to help ensure that even the littlest learners are comfortable and engaged as they begin their educational journey.

Konga’s back-to-school celebration, also has teachers and school administrators covered. The sale will include supplies such as, classroom furniture, and decorations to make classrooms feel cozy while practical items as notebook covers, class records, and lesson books will also be available, helping educators stay organized throughout the academic year.

At a time when safety and security are of concern, Konga is also offering smart security and surveillance gadgets suitable for school environments.

These cutting-edge devices will provide peace of mind for both parents and school officials.

Recognizing the need for personal hygiene and care, particularly in communal settings like schools, beauty and health items and toiletries are also tops on the sale chat.

This category will help students and teachers maintain good health practices throughout the session.

This back-to-school sales transcend traditional school supplies. Konga will as well be offering a wide range of products across other categories, including groceries, computing, fashion, mobile phones and accessories, and electronics.

This diverse selection ensures that families meet multiple needs in one convenient shopping experience.

The outstanding mark of Konga’s back-to-school campaign is the promise of best-in-market prices across all product categories which is hinged on the company’s strategic partnerships with original equipment manufacturers like Samsung, HP, Starlink, LG, iTec, Apple, Unilever, L’Oreal and Hisense.

While the details of the sale are yet to be revealed, insiders suggest that Konga may be planning special deals and promotions for the upcoming campaign.

Shoppers are therefore, advised to keep an eye on Konga’s website and social media channels for updates, exclusive offers and deals throughout the event.

The timing of Konga’s back-to-school sale is strategic, giving families and educators ample time to prepare for the new academic year without the last-minute rush. By offering such a comprehensive range of products, Konga is positioning itself as the destination for all back-to-school needs, potentially saving customers time and effort in their preparations.