Skyworth and Philips are teaming up to bring Philips-branded TVs to the North American market — but it's not quite exciting as it might seem.
The duo announced the news in a press release, citing how the "Philips brand will serve as a seal of approval, assuring consumers of a premium experience powered by SKYWORTH's innovation." Skyworth is best known for its Clarus Outdoor TVs and Canvas Art displays, some of which run on Google TV (and aren't quite among the best TVs, let alone the best budget TVs).
So, if you're a US consumer expecting to get your hands on one of Philips' more exciting Ambilight offerings, think again. The trademark licensing agreement (TMLA), which according to the press release will see the combination of "Skyworth's technological prowess with Philips' brand name," is aimed at making Skyworth's displays more appealing to North American buyers.
For reference, Philips stopped selling its TVs in both the US and Canada starting on September 1, 2008 due to the over-competitive nature of the market at the time, with Samsung and Sony its biggest rivals. Even major budget models out of TCL and Vizio were shaking up the industry back then (just as they are now), putting a damper on Philips' LCD TV business.
The trademark move with Skyworth is an interesting one, especially in the face of Panasonic's return to the US last year, though licensing out its TVs isn't new to Philips. The brand did something similar in leaving the US back in 2008, with Tokyo-based Funai taking the reigns for up to five years after its September 1 end date, according to the New York Times.
It's unclear when exactly North American consumers might expect to see these Philips-branded Skyworth TVs, as neither Skyworth nor Philips gave any official timeline on release. But, with hefty competition in the LCD space, even with the Philips name Skyworth could struggle to find a footing in the US market.
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