Panasonic announces TV partnership with China's Skyworth

At its 2026 launch event, Panasonic announced a strategic partnership with China's Skyworth, which will take over production, sales and marketing of Panasonic TVs.

Panasonic said that it will continue to provide expertise and quality assurance, while Skyworth takes over the other responsibilities.

- "Under the agreement the new partner will lead sales, marketing and logistics across the region, while Panasonic provide expertise and quality assurance to uphold its renowned audiovisual standards with full joint development on Top End OLED models," Panasonic announced at the event, where FlatpanelsHD attended.

The announcement follows last year's comment from Panasonic that it was "prepared to sell" its TV business.


Skyworth-Panasonic partnership
The announcement of the Skyworth-Panasonic partnership comes on the heels of the TCL-Sony partnership, marking the end of the Japanese TV era. Brands like Sharp, Toshiba, and Pioneer had already exited the market.

Panasonic confirmed to FlatpanelsHD that the TVs will continue to be branded under the Panasonic name and feature its technology. The company is targeting a double-digit market share in the European TV market. The partnership will also extend to the US, with the transition happening region by region.

Skyworth will manufacture the TVs.

- "The two organisations share a commitment to innovation and excellence. As a top-five global TV brand, we will bring world-class product innovation supported by extensive R&D investment, alongside a rapidly expanding international footprint and established distribution network. This strategic alignment is expected to accelerate the growth of Panasonic-branded TVs across Europe," said Peter Zhang, CEO og Skyworth's holding company, Shenzhen Chuangwei-RGB Electronics Co.

Panasonic had already outsourced production of its mid-range and entry-level models, which now include a mix of Google TV, Fire TV and TiVo OS models.

Panasonic will continue to provide aftersales support "for all Panasonic TVs sold up to March 2026 and all those available from April".


The future of Panasonic OLED
Skyworth is said to be the world's third-largest OLED TV manufacturer, mainly due to strong sales in its home market. It sources OLED panels from LG Display.

We therefore expect Panasonic OLED TVs to continue, though their exact form in the future remains to be seen. At the 2026 launch event, only a single 2026 OLED model, Z85C/Z86C, was announced. Last year's flagship models, Z95B, as well as Z90B, will remain carry over into 2026 for now.

However, Panasonic emphasized that it remains committed to the TV market. It showcased two OLED TV prototypes, including one with LG Display's latest Tandem WOLED panel – the same used in LG G6. These remain concepts for now. 

When asked about a potential new flagship OLED for 2026, Panasonic told FlatpanelsHD to expect "more announcements later this year".