Summary of Key Points
The television, once the central focus in family living rooms and one of the “three essential items” for weddings, is now being neglected by more and more people. In 2025, China’s retail sales of color TVs reached their lowest level in a decade, with only 27.63 million units sold, a year-on-year decline of 10.4%. On platforms like Xianyu, 90% of new TVs are often resold at a discount of up to 70% of their original price, remaining unused for most of the time. The reasons for this decline include the competition from smartphones and tablets, as well as the television’s own complexity in operation and the layered pricing structure. Manufacturers are trying to turn the situation around by focusing on larger screen sizes (65 inches becoming the mainstream, with 85-inch screens growing the fastest) and higher-end features (laser and Mini LED TVs experiencing growth against the trend). However, what people really miss is the warm moments spent together watching TV as a family.
I. The Transformation of Television from a “Necessary Wedding Item” to an “Electronic Gift”
Twenty years ago, the television was a symbol of a family’s status. In the 1980s, a 12-inch black-and-white TV cost as much as a town worker’s annual salary, and there were fewer than 10 million TVs in use nationwide during the Spring Festival Gala in 1983. In the 1990s, it became one of the “three essential items” for weddings (along with refrigerators and washing machines). The 2000s saw the explosion of LCD TVs, and the “Home Appliance to the Countryside” program helped make their popularity peak; owning a large color TV was seen as a sign of high living standards.
Today, the television has become an electronic gift that is mostly just for show, with little actual use. It’s only occasionally used during events like the Spring Festival Gala or the World Cup. Online markets are full of listings for almost unused TVs that people can’t take with them when they move; 90% of new TVs are sold for less than 70% of their original price, effectively making them “annual limited-time background screens.”
II. Sales Plummet to a Decade Low
Data from OviCloud shows that in 2025, China’s retail sales of color TVs dropped to 27.63 million units, a 10.4% decrease year-on-year, falling below the 30-million mark and reaching the lowest level in nearly a decade. Even with government incentives (such as “national subsidies”), the market has not recovered. People prefer to spend their money on smartphones and tablets rather than TVs.
Why? Just look around: in many households, the TV is used less than 30% of the time, and some have even moved it out of the living room in favor of blank walls or projectors. The television is no longer a necessity but an optional, sometimes unnecessary item.
III. Two Major Reasons for the Decline
The decline in TV popularity is not accidental; two main factors have driven people away:
1. Competition from Smartphones and Tablets: People are accustomed to using small screens to watch short videos and live broadcasts anytime, anywhere, without being confined to the living room.
2. The Television’s Own Difficulty in Use:
- Complex Operation: Two remote controls (for the TV and set-top box), lengthy startup ads, and a main interface filled with apps that are hard to navigate. Nearly 50% of users don’t know how to use the TV after turning it on, and the elderly are especially intimidated by the possibility of making mistakes that could prevent them from using it.
- Layered Pricing: To watch dramas, you need to subscribe to Tencent; for variety shows, iQiyi; for movies, MangoTV. Even with subscriptions, there are additional fees for advance viewing and individual episodes. Users jokingly say that only the startup ads are free.
IV. Manufacturers’ Attempts at “Self-Saving” through Innovation
Faced with declining sales, manufacturers are taking proactive measures:
- Larger Screen Sizes: TVs are getting bigger, with an average size of nearly 65 inches in 2025, and 75-inch screens (accounting for 23% of sales) being the most popular. The growth rate for 85-inch screens is especially high in the first quarter of 2026 (13.9%). These larger screens aim to create a “home theater” experience.
- Higher-End Products: The low-end market is highly competitive, but the high-end market is growing. Products like laser TVs, Mini LED, and OLED TVs are selling much better than the industry average, targeting wealthy consumers who value quality image and sound.
V. What People Really Miss Is the Warmth of Family Time
What people really miss is not the TV itself but the time spent together as a family. The warm moments after dinner, when everyone gathers to watch TV, have been replaced by silence while each person uses their own smartphone.
If TVs could become easier to use (with a single remote control and fewer ads), if pricing were more reasonable, and if the content better met family needs, they might once again take center stage in living rooms. After all, no smartphone screen can match the joy of being together around a large screen.
The rise and fall of TVs reflect the changes in our times, from collective entertainment to individualized entertainment. However, the need for family warmth remains unchanged. If TVs can regain their role as a bonding element in families, they might experience a resurgence in popularity.