Vizio sold to Chinese firm

[Smokey]

Vizio was sold to Chinese tech firm LeEcho for $2B. LeEco is best known for making smartphones, and streaming service in China.

The company's chairman and CEO, billionaire Jia Yueting, said the company would launch its U.S. presence in a few months with an event in Silicon Valley, where it has opened its U.S. headquarters in San Jose.

Vizio is based in Irvine, California, and has been the No. 2 TV brand in North America behind Samsung for the past seven years. Vizio will continue to operate as an independent subsidiary, and its brand will remain. Vizio founder and CEO William Wang will leave to run a spun-off data company called Inscape. The deal is to close by year's end.

With international company behind it, Vizio will try to expand to latin america and asia market.

[Mr Peabody]

I saw this story some time back. I didn't realize Vizio was a U.S. company though, I assumed already Chinese. I think they're #2 just based on price, I really don't have much respect for the brand at this point. Usually I hate to see American companies be bought by foreign interests but in Vizios case........ I'd rather think of our companies being represented the likes of Oppo, Schiit etc. who offer quality products. I know some here use Vizio and have had good luck with them, I hope it continues.

[harley .guy07]

Yeah I thought they were already a Chinese based company too just based on their reputation and price. I am also not very impressed overall with the build quality of the Vizios I have seen as well. My wife and I bought one for a bedroom tv a couple of years ago and within about 6 months the top middle of the screen started to be darker and less colorful than the other parts of the screen and the built in apps stoped working about a year later saying that they were not supported anymore. I also have a fiend that works of electronics as a trade and he has told me that Vizio among other cheap brands use very cheap and poor quality power supplies in the TV's which is one of the main reasons they do not last long. Go figure

[Jack in Wilmington]

I also was curious about the No. 2 and wondered what it referred to. I could see No. 2 in sales as they're all over WalMart and K-Mart and other discount stores. I have a 22" Visio that I mounted on the wall by our treadmill and the picture was so-so until Verizon upgraded my hi-def package and gave me 5 hi-def boxes and that gave me one for the Visio and the picture improved immensely.

[harley .guy07]

their picture is pretty good for the money on some of their tvs but the QC for the parts are pretty bad. they are basically throw away and get a new one TV's, but I guess most of them are in today's world

[recoveryone]

I guess much can be said either way, I have one of their highend models from about 5 years ago and it still going strong and the PQ is very good. Most of the models you see in Wal Mart and Kmart are the lower end models, but help boost the bottom line in sales.

[Feanor]

I've had the impression that Visio's strategy is to target the low end or "value" segment of the market. This is opposed to going after the medium and high-end market. I'd say BestBuy's Insignia brand does this too.

So Visio's strategy is different from that of the Korean brands, Samsung and (I's say) LG whose strategy is to challenge Panasonic and Sony in the latter markets. Will Visio's strategy change under new management? Dunno.

[topspeed]

It's too bad to see another American company gobbled up, but that's free market economy for you. I have a Vizio M series in my family room and for the money, it offers very good pq. It's not in the same league as the Sammy in my living room, but it only cost 1/3 as much, so I'm receiving far more than I paid for in return. It replaced a LG that crapped out in 13 months which replaced a Vizio that had crapped out in 12 months. They are all disposable at this point. The only sets I've had that last are Sammy and Sony.

[Smokey]

I also was curious about the No. 2 and wondered what it referred to. I could see No. 2 in sales as they're all over WalMart and K-Mart and other discount stores.

That is correct. Number 2 refer to percentage of market share (how many panles shipped). Here is figure I found for percentage of TV market shere in US from latter part of 2013;

I've had the impression that Visio's strategy is to target the low end or "value" segment of the market. This is opposed to going after the medium and high-end market.

That probably was true when they were trying to establish themselves as brand. But lately vizio been trying to go head to head with big boys by offering medium and high end models. Their “M” and “P” and "Reference Series" TV series are their examples of going after those markets.

And they seem to be succeeding in as their TVs are getting excellent reviews. Here is a review of their flagship 65 inch “Reference Series” TV model:

Vizio RS65-B2 Reference Series Review - Reviewed.com Televisions

[Jaguar]

ditto, who knew any electronics was still designed in the US. I guess there's Oppo.

[frenchmon]

I think Vizio has come a long way, Peabody. Some of their higher end models are excellent! I know.....Just walking through Costco and Sams, you can see the picture compared with Sony and Samsung and Vizio is right there. The quality seems pretty good from looking at it from outside.....I have one of their higher end 50 inch TV from 3 years ago,,,havent had a problem....and I recently got a hell of a deal on another 50 inch high end Vizio a few months and its also excellent!