Sharp Patent Complaint Could Hike Smart TV Prices, Says Hisense; Rival Foxcon Getting Wis. OK
Sharp’s patent infringement complaint at the International Trade Commission seeking an import ban on Hisense smart TVs (see 1709050045) is part of a “scorched-earth campaign” to “undo” a 2015 license agreement that gave Hisense rights to sell Sharp-branded TVs in…
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the U.S., Hisense commented (login required) in docket 337-TA-3246. Hisense-Sharp tensions gained in July with Foxconn plans to build a $10 billion LCD display fab in Wisconsin as the centerpiece of a Foxconn-Sharp commitment for an 8K ecosystem. Legislation authorizing Wisconsin to negotiate a contract that would pay Foxconn up to $3 billion cleared the Assembly Thursday. Gov. Scott Walker (R) was scheduled to have signed the bill into law Monday afternoon. An import ban would harm consumers, said Hisense. “Consumers will suffer from fewer choices among smart TVs.” A decrease “may also cause prices to increase,” it said. On a unit-share basis, Hisense's own product had 3 percent North American TV market share in the first half of 2017, Paul Gagnon, IHS Markit director-TV sets research, told us.