Sharp To Re-Enter U.S. TV Business

May 10, 2019

Sharp will re-enter the TV business in the U.S., the company confirmed in a statement.

It is establishing a new partnership with Hisense International, under which it enter the market in the second half of this year.

Sharp had signed a five-year licensing deal with Hisense in 2015 but attempted to buy back the brand after its acquisition by Foxconn in 2017.

It was unsuccessful in its attempts to buy back the brand rights from Hisense, and Sharp resorted to legal action, claiming various patent violations and charging that Hisense was hurting the brand by marketing lesser-quality TVs.

It dropped its legal action last year.

Both companies have made it known they’re plotting significant initiatives to plant themselves in the U.S.

Noted Sharp in its statement: “Sharp will further accelerate transformation of its business to innovate the world with 8K/4K Ecosystem + 5G and AIoT.”