China-based OTT (over the top) operator LeEco will acquire a 100% stake in US-based LCD TV vendor Vizio in a bid to rank among the globally five largest LCD TV vendors, while Samsung Electronics has applied for the trademark Samsung QLED with US Patent and Trademark Office possibly in preparation to launch QLED TVs based on quantum dot technology in 2019, according to Digitimes Research.

LeEco shipped 2.8 million LCD TVs under the own brand LeTV in 2015 and aims to ship 6.0 million units in 2016, Digitimes Research indicated. Following the acquisition, Vizio will maintain independent business operations and the own brand Vizio. Since LeEco focuses on the China LCD TV market and Vizio on the North America one, LeEco is expected to ship 14 million LCD TVs globally under dual brands LeTV and Vizio in 2016, possibly becoming the globally fifth largest next to Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and China-based TCL and Hisense.

Samsung Electronics applied quantum dot technology to super Ultra HD (SUHD) LCD TVs launched in 2015. Viewing that LG Electronics has dominated the market segment of OLED TVs, Samsung Electronics may apply quantum dot technology to LED in place of LCD to launch QLED TVs to compete with OLED TVs.