The competitive landscape of the European living room is undergoing a fundamental realignment as Chinese electronics giants aggressively challenge the long-standing dominance of South Korean manufacturers. According to new forecasts from Omdia, the smart TV operating system known as V (formerly VIDAA), developed by Hisense, is positioned to overtake LG’s webOS in European shipments this year.
This shift represents more than just a change in software preference; it signals a broader transition in how hardware is distributed and how platforms scale across the continent. Although LG and Samsung have historically controlled the ecosystem through their proprietary software, the rapid expansion of Hisense is turning the “OS war” into a battle of shipment volumes and aggressive market penetration.
The rise of V is inextricably linked to the growth of Hisense hardware. By leveraging competitive pricing and expanding its distribution networks, Hisense has managed to carve out a significant portion of the European market. This growth has been bolstered by high-visibility global marketing, including prominent sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup, which helped elevate the brand’s profile among European consumers.
As a former software engineer, I’ve watched the “platform play” evolve across various industries, but the TV market is unique because the hardware is the gateway to the data. When a manufacturer shifts from using a third-party OS to their own, they gain total control over the user interface, ad inventory, and data collection. For Hisense, the transition to V (VIDAA) is the final piece of that vertical integration.
A Structural Shift in the European Ecosystem
The current trajectory suggests a “structural shift” in the market, according to Maria Rua Aguete, Head of M&E at Omdia. The trend is not limited to a single brand; Chinese manufacturers, including TCL, are scaling their own platforms to reduce reliance on external ecosystems and challenge the established Korean players.
However, the market remains fragmented. Android TV continues to hold the lead in overall market share, largely because It’s the default choice for a wide array of brands, including TCL and various local Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). This creates a tiered hierarchy where Google’s ecosystem remains the ceiling, while proprietary systems like V, webOS, and Tizen fight for the middle ground.
The impact on the established players is becoming evident. Both LG’s webOS and Samsung’s Tizen have experienced gradual declines in market share as alternative ecosystems gain traction. This erosion is not happening overnight, but rather through a steady bleed of shipments to more aggressively priced competitors.
The Gap Between Shipments and Installed Base
It is important to distinguish between shipments—the number of new TVs leaving the factory—and the installed base—the number of TVs actually sitting in living rooms. This distinction is where the Korean giants still hold a significant advantage.
David Tett, Principal Analyst at Omdia, notes that Samsung and LG have spent the last decade building an installed base that reaches into the tens of millions of homes. Because TVs have long lifecycles—often lasting seven to ten years—those legacy devices keep the Korean platforms relevant even as new shipment numbers dip.
Conversely, the Chinese vendors are growing their installed bases at a much faster rate. As more Hisense and TCL units enter homes, the “lag” between shipment dominance and installed-base dominance will eventually close, potentially locking in a new generation of users into the V ecosystem.
Implications for Content and Advertising
For the average consumer, the change in OS might be negligible, but for the industry, it is a logistical headache. The fragmentation of the TV OS market creates a “silo” effect that complicates the delivery of content and advertising.
Content providers and advertisers can no longer rely on a few dominant platforms to reach the European audience. Achieving scale now requires sophisticated, multi-platform strategies to ensure apps work seamlessly across Android TV, webOS, Tizen, and now V. If a streaming service fails to optimize for a rising platform like V, they risk losing access to a rapidly growing segment of the population.
The emergence of new players further complicates this. Titan OS is among the newer entrants rapidly winning share, suggesting that the hierarchy of European TV operating systems is more volatile than it has been in twenty years.
| Platform | Primary Driver | Market Position | Current Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android TV | Broad OEM Adoption | Market Leader | Stable/Dominant |
| V (VIDAA) | Hisense Hardware Growth | Rising Challenger | Increasing Shipments |
| webOS | LG Hardware Ecosystem | Established Giant | Gradual Decline |
| Tizen | Samsung Hardware Ecosystem | Established Giant | Gradual Decline |
The Road Ahead: What to Watch
The shift in power from Korean to Chinese manufacturers in the European market is a reflection of a global trend in electronics, where scale and pricing efficiency are overriding brand loyalty. As Hisense continues to push V, the focus will likely shift toward the “services” side of the OS—how these companies monetize their platforms through integrated ad-supported streaming and data partnerships.
The next critical checkpoint for the industry will be the end-of-year shipment reports, which will provide the first concrete data on whether V has officially surpassed webOS in total European volume for the calendar year. This data will likely dictate how content providers prioritize their development roadmaps for the coming year.
We want to hear from you. Have you noticed a shift in the brands available in your local retailers, or have you made the switch to a Hisense or TCL ecosystem? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
