The Toshiba brand used to be a reliable, good value name in televisions — not quite as technologically advanced or as stylish as Samsung or LG or Sony, but with some high quality panels at more affordable prices than competitors. Toshiba stopped selling TVs in Australia a few years ago, but now they’re back; from the start of April, you’ll be able to get a Toshiba telly in your favourite big-box electronics store.
Powermove, the company that also manages Philips, Pioneer and Klipsch within Australia, will control the distribution of Toshiba-branded TVs within Australia. Toshiba recently made a deal with Chinese television manufacturer Skyworth to sell its Indonesian TV plant, and with that comes the Toshiba brand name and the right to sell it within Australia.
So while the technology inside the TVs isn’t classic Toshiba, they’ll be built at the same plant, and that’s an important contributor to things like LCD panel quality and overall quality control. We should start seeing Toshiba TVs in Australia in the first half of this year, and while the actual stores selling the screens are yet to be announced, it’s likely you’ll see them in JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and all the usual suspects.