Skip to main content

Samsung buys out Sony’s stake in S-LCD joint venture

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Back in 2004, Samsung and Sony formed a joint partnership named S-LCD to manufacture flat-panel LCD displays, splitting the costs of rolling out manufacturing facilities for large flat panel displays so both companies could better compete with the likes of Sharp. As recently as 2008 the companies committed $1.8 billion to the venture to build a new manufacturing facility, but now Sony has thrown in the towel: Samsung is buying out Sony’s 50 percent stake in S-LCD for a little over 1.08 trillion Korean won, or about US$935 million.

The move comes as Sony looks to cut costs as it faces the possibility of eight straight years of losses in its television business. Sony is banking that it will be able to better compete against the likes of Sharp, Samsung, Toshiba, and other flat-panel manufacturers buy buying panels for its own TVs at going rates rather than sinking massive amounts of money into production facilities. Sony will buy panels from Samsung as well as from other manufacturers.

The companies expect the deal will be concluded in mid-January 2012.

Sony hasn’t indicated how the sale will help its full-year financial results, but the company has said it expected to post a loss of ¥66 billion (about US$845 million) for the third quarter of its fiscal year, which wraps at the end of December.

Editors' Recommendations

Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
Sony vs. Samsung: Whose TV belongs in your living room?
Samsung S95C Sony A95L LG G3 Best OLED 2023 (18)

For years now, Sony and Samsung have been two of the fiercest competitors in the world of TVs. Each manufacturer prioritizes all the integral elements that go into a world-class display, including resolution, backlighting, picture upscaling, and the smart TV experience. Both brands also produce TVs in many different sizes, ranging from 32-inch sets that are great for bedrooms to monolithic 85-inch-plus models that might be a squeeze for even the biggest living rooms.

Sony and Samsung TVs have a lot in common, but there are also a few key areas where these TV titans differ. This is why we’ve compared both brands to help you decide which is best for you.
Design
Samsung S95C Zeke Jones / Digital Trends

Read more
The best TV brands of 2024: from LG to TCL, which should you buy?
Sony Bravia X95L vs TCL QM8

Buying a new TV can be quite an ordeal. There’s figuring out what size is best for your living space, then there’s choosing what picture tech you should go with, then there’s the overall price, and then there’s all the bells and whistles you need to think about, like which smart TV platform to trust and what TVs will let you cast photos and videos from your phone or tablet. Yeah, you’ve definitely got your work cut out for you, but it’s actually a good thing to have all these options. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a little guidance, too.

We’ve already covered what the best TVs are, but if you’d like some bigger-picture TV intel that you can carry around with you, we thought it best to put together this guide to the best TV brands. While this isn’t an end-all-be-all resource, we’ve definitely vetted and tested enough TVs to know what brands are worth considering, as well as which are best to avoid. We’ve also made sure to highlight the calling card features and specifications of these noteworthy names. 

Read more
You Asked: Samsung QD-OLED conundrum, ATSC 3.0, and audio outputs
You Asked Feature Ep 20

We're back and sinally recovered from CES in Las Vegas. And this week, we’ve got a slew of great questions. Like the emotional journey of choosing between the Samsung S95C or S90C. Plus Zen and the art of eARC. And why is my ATSC 3.0 tuner slow? And why can’t TVs have all the ports we need?

 TV-buying journey

Read more