Chinese consumer electronics company TCL has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles federal court against South Korean giant Samsung, accusing the rival of false advertising over its so‑called Mini LED televisions.
In the complaint, filed Monday, TCL claims Samsung marketed its M Model televisions as featuring Mini LED technology, a feature that TCL says delivers significantly better picture quality with higher contrast and dynamic range.
According to TCL, Samsung took a non‑Mini LED model from a recycled product line and sold it to consumers as a premium Mini LED offering at a lower price. The lawsuit alleges that the M Model contains none of the technological advancements associated with Mini LED and is essentially a standard LED television.
TCL’s attorney, R.C. Harlan, stated that Samsung’s false advertising misled consumers seeking higher picture quality and unfairly damaged TCL’s sales, goodwill and valuable technology. The company said it had overtaken Samsung in U.S. Mini LED TV sales between 2023 and 2025 because Samsung failed to produce competitively priced Mini LED models.
Samsung released its M Model line in March at prices below TCL’s cheapest Mini LED televisions and advertised them as Mini LED. The lawsuit seeks an order blocking Samsung’s use of the Mini LED label and unspecified monetary damages.
Samsung has said it will vigorously defend itself and stands “fully behind the quality and accuracy of our product descriptions.”
The case highlights growing scrutiny over television advertising claims in the U.S. market as manufacturers compete for consumer attention on advanced display technologies.
