News
TCL Plans to Acquire Additional 21.53% of CSOT for $1.62 billion

TCL Technology is doubling down on its dominance in the display semiconductor space. The Chinese tech conglomerate has unveiled plans to acquire a major stake in Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor (CSOT), in a deal valued at 11.56 billion yuan ($1.62 billion). The transaction will significantly bolster TCL’s ownership in the panel-making subsidiary, raising its stake to 84.2% and tightening its grip on a company it has been slowly absorbing over the past decade.
The acquisition, which has already cleared a major hurdle with approval from the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, is structured as a hybrid of cash and equity. Under the deal, TCL will pay 7.2 billion yuan ($1.01 billion) in cash, while the remaining 4.36 billion yuan ($610 million) will be settled through a share issuance.
The shares are being issued to the Shenzhen Major Industrial Development Phase I Fund, the entity currently holding the 21.53% equity stake up for sale. Once completed, the deal will not only further cement TCL’s control but also realign shareholder influence within one of China’s most strategic display firms.
The transaction is still pending final clearance from the China Securities Regulatory Commission. But TCL’s track record suggests that’s just a formality. If anything, this is the continuation of a broader pattern, a slow and steady consolidation of display tech power under TCL’s umbrella.
China Star, originally a joint venture between TCL and the Shenzhen state-owned Century Science & Technology Group, has evolved from a state-backed partnership into a TCL-dominated asset through a calculated series of acquisitions and capital infusions. This latest move adds another chapter to TCL’s long-term vertical integration playbook.
It also follows hot on the heels of another massive deal. Back in September 2024, TCL shelled out 10.8 billion yuan ($1.51 billion) to acquire an 80% stake in LG Display’s Guangzhou LCD panel plant and take full ownership of its adjacent module factory. That marked a major pivot point in TCL’s display strategy, one that focused on regional consolidation and upstream control.
Now, with China Star almost fully under its wing, TCL is making clear its ambition: to become a top-to-bottom display powerhouse, from raw substrate to final module assembly. And it’s not doing it quietly. This is the second $10 billion ($1.4 billion)+ level transaction in less than a year. Few in the semiconductor display game are moving at this scale, and even fewer with this level of intent.
In related news, TCL has launched the 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G in the US, featuring an E-Ink-style display and built-in AI tools. Meanwhile, the company has also introduced the C7K QD-Mini LED TV in the Philippines, with prices starting at Php 55,499.
(Via)
News
TCL Rules China’s TV Market as MOKA Leaves Rivals in the Dust

In China’s fiercely competitive television market, TCL has once again proven it’s not just playing to win, it’s playing to control the game. According to new data from research firm RUNTO Technology, TCL-branded TVs shipped over 600,000 units in May, making it the No.1 TV brand in the country for the month. But the real story lies behind the scenes. TCL’s secret weapon isn’t just its sleek Mini LED panels or aggressive pricing; it’s MOKA, its little-known but massively powerful in-house manufacturing arm.
MOKA, formally known as Moka Technology, shipped nearly 1.5 million units in May alone, marking its best month in 2025 so far. That’s not just a flex, it’s a full-on chokehold on the OEM segment. The firm now leads the professional TV OEM sector with a staggering 50% margin over its closest rival. Year-on-year, MOKA grew 7%, while monthly growth hit 13.5%. For context, that kind of momentum in hardware logistics, especially in a market flooded with volatility, isn’t just impressive, it’s strategic domination.
Trailing behind is BOE VT, the OEM arm of panel powerhouse BOE, which made a noticeable climb to second place with over 1 million units shipped. The company jumped four spots from the previous month, an encouraging sign that it’s gaining traction. But despite this growth spurt, BOE VT still lags far behind MOKA’s crushing lead.
Shenzhen MTC, known in the market as AMTC, remained steady in third place with roughly 900,000 units. TPV, which builds TVs for Philips and AOC, came in fourth at 850,000 units. These brands are holding their ground, but it’s increasingly clear they’re running in a race that TCL has already started lapping them in.
Konka-backed KTC and display manufacturer HKC placed fifth and sixth, with 800,000 and 670,000 units respectively. These numbers suggest solid consistency, but again, they pale next to MOKA’s towering presence.
On the lower end of the list, traditional heavyweights like Foxconn and Innolux are slipping. Foxconn managed just 340,000 units, while Innolux barely registered at 140,000. Both saw significant declines compared to last year, signaling that legacy power is no longer enough to keep pace in China’s hyperactive TV space.
The real takeaway here? TCL isn’t just a TV brand anymore; it’s an ecosystem. And with MOKA’s muscle behind it, TCL is reshaping the rules of the OEM game, all while keeping its rivals looking over their shoulders.
(Via)
Featured
What’s So Special About the TCL Z100 Soundbar?

There’s no shortage of smart speakers or Dolby Atmos soundbars in 2025, but TCL seems to be carving out a new category altogether with the Z100. This isn’t your typical soundbar, nor is it just another smart speaker with Bluetooth and some branding slapped on. The TCL Z100 is a modular, wireless, Dolby Atmos-enabled speaker system that feels like it was built with future-forward living rooms in mind, specifically ones that don’t want to be tethered by HDMI cables or speaker wire.
And here’s the real kicker: it does this at a price that seriously undercuts the competition.
Reinventing the Soundbar Concept
Instead of a long, rectangular bar that lives under your TV, the Z100 is a compact standalone speaker with a unique 1.1.1 channel setup. Each unit packs four drivers, a woofer, a front-facing tweeter, and an up-firing speaker to handle overhead effects in Dolby Atmos mixes. The internals are tightly engineered, with neodymium magnetic tweeters, silk dome diaphragms, and oversized voice coils tuned for both high-frequency finesse and room-shaking volume. At peak, a single Z100 unit delivers 170W of sound and up to 94dB SPL, which already puts it in premium soundbar territory. Add more units, and the room truly comes alive.
But the real magic happens when you use multiple Z100s together. TCL lets you link up to four Z100 speakers and a dedicated Z100 SW subwoofer, creating a fully wireless 7.1.2 Atmos soundscape. No mounting requirements, no AV receiver, no symmetrical speaker placement. Just plug them in, set them around the room, and let FlexConnect do the work.
Dolby Atmos, the Easy Way
The Z100 is the first speaker to launch globally with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, a spatial audio tech co-developed by TCL and Dolby. It scans your room using built-in mics and calibrates speaker output on the fly, no matter where each speaker is placed. The idea is to get full surround sound immersion without needing the precision of a traditional 5.1 or 7.1 setup.
That means you can scatter your Z100s across bookshelves, desks, or even different heights in the room, and still get directional sound that feels spatially accurate. It’s Atmos without the headache. And because it wirelessly syncs with TCL’s 2025 Mini LED TVs like the QM8K, QM7K, and QM6K, the whole setup is HDMI free and app free. Everything just works.
Designed to Be Seen (and Heard)
The Z100 looks nothing like your typical audio gear. The shell is anodized aluminum with a soft matte finish, while the grille follows a starburst pattern that’s both futuristic and functional. TCL says the three available colors, grey, gold, and cyan, are inspired by nebulae, which feels appropriately cosmic for a speaker built around spatial sound.
Every detail, from the fabric mesh to the cable management system tucked into the base, feels thought through. And if you’d rather not clutter your shelf, it supports wall and stand mounting too (though the stand is sold separately).
Specs That Matter
It’s easy to rattle off numbers, but TCL’s choices here are deliberate. Bluetooth 5.3 ensures low-latency connections with mobile devices, and OTA firmware updates mean the Z100 could get smarter over time. The optional subwoofer (Z100 SW) adds 130W of bass power and goes as low as 45Hz, using a large iron-core magnet and CONEX spider material for deep, punchy lows. That turns the Z100 from a high-end TV speaker replacement into a genuinely cinematic system.
The entire stack is scalable. You can start with one Z100, add a second for stereo, throw in a third for Atmos, then add a subwoofer when you want to feel the rumble. Or go all out and run four Z100s and the subwoofer for a full surround setup with up to 18 drivers working together.
The Bigger Picture
If TCL’s pitch sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve seen similar efforts before, like Sony’s $2,500 Bravia Theater Quad. But the Z100 aims for a broader market. At 1,499 yuan (about $206), it’s priced dramatically lower than most Atmos-ready wireless speakers. And TCL is planning global availability this summer, starting in the US and Europe.
This isn’t just TCL flexing its speaker manufacturing muscle. It’s TCL signaling that spatial audio shouldn’t be a luxury reserved for massive living rooms or deep bank accounts.
The Z100 is a bet on the future of home entertainment, one that’s wireless, modular, and sounds damn good even before you start thinking about building a full system around it.
In related news, the Redmi K80 Ultra will feature an OLED display sourced from TCL CSOT and Tianma, while TCL has launched the NXTPAPER 14 in the US with a paper-like display and a 10,000mAh battery.
News
Redmi K80 Ultra to Feature OLED Display from TCL CSOT and Tianma

Xiaomi is gearing up to launch the Redmi K80 Ultra in China, and ahead of its official debut, key details have already been confirmed through the brand’s Weibo updates. Now, popular tipster “Experience More” has revealed the complete hardware breakdown of the upcoming device, confirming that TCL CSOT will play a significant role in its display supply.
According to the leak, the K80 Ultra will feature a flat 6.83-inch M9 OLED panel with a resolution of 2772×1280 and a 144Hz refresh rate. It supports 800 nits of typical brightness, 1800 nits in high-brightness mode, and up to 3200 nits at peak. The display will be supplied by TCL CSOT and Tianma, continuing the dual-sourcing approach previously seen in the Redmi K70 Ultra. The touch layer is handled by FocalTech. While panel sourcing from multiple vendors often sparks concerns over display consistency, Xiaomi is expected to apply uniform calibration across units.
TCL CSOT’s presence in Xiaomi’s smartphone lineup is only growing. The Xiaomi 15 and 15 Pro series, released earlier, relied heavily on TCL CSOT for their OLED panels. The collaboration appears to be expanding further this year. Both the Xiaomi 16 Pro and Redmi K90 Pro, expected to launch later in 2025, are rumored to feature TCL CSOT’s next-generation Real RGB OLED displays. These panels are designed to deliver more accurate color reproduction and higher light efficiency by moving away from traditional RGBW layouts.
The K80 Ultra will also bring high-end internals, including the MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ processor, D2 discrete GPU, LPDDR5X RAM, and UFS 4.1 storage. It will be powered by a 7410mAh battery with 100W fast charging and bypass charging support.
In terms of cameras, the device includes a 50MP Light Hunter 800 main sensor with OIS, paired with an 8MP OV08F ultra-wide, and a 20MP OV20B front camera. Other premium features include a metal mid-frame, Dragon Crystal glass, IP68/IP69 protection, dual stereo speakers, and X-axis linear motor. The phone also integrates Xiaomi’s Surge chip suite, T1, T1S, P3, and G1, for better power management.
The K80 Ultra will be available in four color variants: Spruce Green, Ice Blue, Moon Rock White, and Sandstone Gray. It weighs 219 grams and measures 8.18mm in thickness.
In related news, TCL has launched the NXTPAPER 14 tablet in the US, featuring a paper-like display and a 10,000mAh battery. Meanwhile, the TCL Z100 wireless speaker with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect has been announced in Europe.
(Source)