You’re about to buy a new TV…
The brand Toshiba caught your attention.
And you couldn’t help but notice: they’re cheap.
Now you’re wondering why.
Well…
Read on to find out:
- The history of Toshiba.
- What customers think about Toshiba TV.
- How you can fix a sound issue on a Toshiba TV.
- Why Toshiba TVs are made by Hisense and Compal.
- And lots more…
Why are Toshiba TVs so cheap?
Toshiba TVs are cheap because they partnered their TV production with other companies. Toshiba also has this long-term knowledge to produce cheap TVs. And with the rise of smart TVs, the viewer data is sold to streaming companies leading also to lower TV prices.
5 reasons why Toshiba TVs are so cheap
#1: Toshiba
Toshiba is a Japanese company that makes electronics. It’s one of the biggest electrical manufacturers in the world.
Moreover, it was founded in 1939 by a merger of 2 electronic companies. One of these companies started around 1875 and the other around 1890.
So, it’d be an understatement to say they’ve been around the block for quite a while. As years passed, the company grew.
As a result, today, Toshiba is known for manufacturing all kinds of electrical devices. They make elevators, printers, TVs, computers, etc.
Fun fact: Toshiba’s known for the invention of the flash drive.
But throughout the years, it wasn’t always an easy ride for Toshiba.
Around 2015 they had some financial struggles due to an accounting scandal.
This led to some cutting in the expenses and selling departments. Especially in the personal computer and TV department. More on that later.
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#2: Hisense and Compal
Hisense
In 2017 Toshiba was selling 95% of the stock shares of the Toshiba Visual Solutions Corporation (TVs) to Hisense.
Hisense is a big Chinese company that makes consumer electronics. Hisense’s most important product is TVs, but they also make smartphones, air conditioners, etc.
Hisense got licensed to use the Toshiba brand for a period of 40 years. This was done for Europe, South East Asia, and other markets.
Compal
Around 2015, Toshiba also licensed Compal to make their TVs.
Compal is a huge Taiwanese company, and they make computers, monitors, and also TVs.
Because of this license deal, Compal is making the TVs and they put the Toshiba name on them. They’re licensed for the North American market.
Probably they do these deals because these licensed companies can offer better contracts. For example, Compal also makes products for Apple and Hewlett-Packard.
The more big clients, the lower the cost of manufacturing. This lowers the price of the TV as well.
#3: Fire TV
Toshiba also partnered with Amazon resulting in Toshiba – Fire TV Edition. Now you don’t need to buy the Amazon Fire TV stick separately, because these TVs have Fire TV built-in.
This lets you access all the streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, HBO, and more.
And if you have an Amazon Alexa speaker connected to your Toshiba Fire TV, you can even use your voice to control the TV.
#4: TVs are cheap in general
Viewer data and advertisement
If you’re old enough you remember those big TV boxes. And even in the earlier days, they didn’t come with a remote. You had to walk to the TV to change channels.
And, unlike now with 2 inches (5 cm) thick flat TVs mounted on the walls…well, they sure didn’t have those back then.
Most people couldn’t afford a TV in the early days. We’re talking around the sixties and seventies. It was usually that someone in the street had 1 TV.
And when there was something special to watch on the TV you asked politely if you could join to watch.
It even happened that the whole street was gathering to that one particular neighbor who had to happen a TV. Those were the good old days….
But later on, most people could afford one. Especially in the last 10 years, TVs became cheaper and cheaper.
A Toshiba 43-inch 4 Ultra High Definition Fire TV nowadays costs as little as around 290 USD.
And most TVs are smart and have pre-installed apps, like Netflix or Prime Video. With these apps, you can watch all your favorite movies and TV shows.
But, there’s a small catch behind this smart TV option and the pre-installed streaming apps.
The big TV manufacturers sell your viewing data to streaming companies and marketers.
They collect data like your viewing history and your favorite shows.
The streaming companies and marketers use this data to get a good picture of you, the customer. And of course, they use it to improve their apps and content.
To add, the streaming companies also earn by advertising. The revenues from these advertisements are also being shared with the TV manufacturers.
With these 2 factors: selling viewer data and shared advertisement revenues is resulting in a lower price of the TV. Because now they don’t get the money straight from you, the consumer, but also from the streaming companies and marketers.
If you want to know more about why TVs are cheap in general, you can check out this video:
Watching TV on other devices
We all know the game of supply and demand. This is how the economy works.
So, if there is a lower demand for TVs the price will drop.
’’Sure, but what’s your point?’’’
Well, according to the LA Times, Americans spent more time on their phones and tablets than watching TV.
It makes sense, the smartphone or tablet is often close within your reach. Plus, your streaming apps are just one finger tap away.
Convenient, right?
So you see, the demand for TVs is lower.
And with less demand for TVs, the TV manufacturers lower their prices to let you buy that TV.
#5: Opinions from customer reviews
The price of Toshiba TV is relatively low. However, “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch”. So, with this low pricing, there are some downsides.
We checked some customer reviews to find out what people are actually saying about Toshiba TVs.
For the most part, Toshiba TV owners are positive about the TV. The hardware is good enough for this day and age. It’s not high-end, but good enough.
The people who were dissatisfied complained mostly about the sound.
They say that the built-in speakers sound mediocre. Especially changing from channels or scenes, the sound would vary too much.
However, if you’re not happy with the sound you should consider buying a soundbar. You can also try connecting some external speakers to the TV.
Yes, it’ll cost you some extra but it’ll improve the viewing (and listening) experience.
Another thing people complained about was the stand of the TV.
It seems a bit wobbly and low to the ground. And that makes it hard to put a soundbar in front of it.
But this one is easy to fix. You can mount it on a wall or simply buy a different TV stand.
We checked out a few TV stands. This stand should do the job to fix a wobbly one. You can even adjust it in height.
Concluding: Toshiba TVs are cheap in comparison with other big brands. The price quality seems fine and the hardware is good enough for this day and age.
And yes, there are some downsides but they’re fixable.
Now that you know some weird facts about Toshiba, you can choose your next TV wisely!