The memory shortage crisis has already hit smartphones, and soon you’ll see the domino effect reach other consumer electronic products, including televisions (and possibly other home appliances).
At CES 2026, Samsung’s co-CEO, TM Roh, told Reuters that “no company is immune” to the global shortage of memory chips. Given that Samsung’s smart TVs, especially the high-end models, use a fair amount of memory, the rise in component cost might soon show up in the price tag.
LCD panel production cuts are adding new cost pressure
Meanwhile, LCD panel manufacturers are also seeing constrained output (compared to the demand). According to a new report by The Elec, major Chinese panel manufacturers, including HKC, BOE, and CSOT, “plan to suspend operations” at their factories next month to “reduce labor costs” and “ease inventory burdens.”
This could lead to a reduction in the number of panels that come out of the production line. The decrease in supply for LCD screens (3.8%) is more than twice the decrease in overall demand (1.8%), which could lead to a tight phase for the panel market in the first quarter of 2026.
The aggressive stocking up of components such as memory and display panels by smartphone and TV manufacturers could be yet another reason for an inevitable price hike. While this front-loaded buying may help cushion prices and stabilize production in the short term, manufacturers might be forced to enter a tighter market once the inventory ends.
This could increase production a few months into 2026, if not in January, and ultimately push finished TV prices above current levels. A recent report from TrendForce suggests that “TV panel prices are expected to turn upward in January,” with the costs of 32-inch, 43-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch panels “set to increase by US$1.”
While it might sound negligible, the report mentions that TV panel prices are “set to enter an upcycle” from the first quarter in 2026, and that the February product cuts could “further drive LCD monitor prices.” Given that LCD panels still account for around 95% of global TV shipments, even a tiny rise in panel costs could affect the entire industry, across price segments and regional markets.
From what it sounds like, the long-running era of ever-cheaper televisions may be nearing a temporary pause. Due to factors such as rising memory costs, planned production cuts, and manufacturers storing more pre-built inventory, the cost pressure isn’t immediately visible in the supply chain, but it is surely building.
Yes, TV prices might not rise overnight, but if component constraints persist after the first quarter, companies might pass on higher manufacturing costs to customers through a minor price hike. We’ll get more clarity on this as the wave of new televisions from companies like Samsung and LG — announced at CES 2026 — hits the market in a few months.
