Chinese phone maker OnePlus is all set to enter the TV market, and its first TV will feature a Samsung-made display. The company took to Twitter to announce that the upcoming OnePlus TV will sport a 55-inch QLED display panel. And since Samsung is the only manufacturer producing QLED panels for TVs, that's an easy guess.
Unlike TV offerings from other Chinese makers, the OnePlus TV will run a custom version of Android TV. The TV will make its debut in India later this year.
A potential Samsung rival
OnePlus arrived in India in 2014 and has quickly established itself as one of the top players in the world's second-largest smartphone market. The Chinese company is Samsung's biggest rival in the premium smartphone segment in the country. OnePlus is now looking to tap into India’s growing TV market and is once again targeting the premium segment. Samsung currently has more than 50% market share in the premium TV segment worldwide.
“In terms of pricing, we want to benchmark against the most premium products available in the market, which means we are benchmarking against Samsung and Sony,” OnePlus CEO Pete Lau told Gadgets360. “Because of the strategic partnership with Amazon, our price may be slightly cheaper than their products, but it won't be half the price,” he added.
A QLED Android TV at a relatively cheaper price than the competition makes a compelling offering. Samsung's surely got more competition in India. An overhaul of its TV portfolio might be needed soon, just like it did with smartphones earlier this year.
