Worldwide shipments of smart TVs exceeded 100 million units in 2015, according to data from the research institute IHS.
China is a major player in the smart TV market. In 2015, shipments of Chinese smart TVs accounted for more than three-quarters of the total number.
In addition to gaining a foothold in the Chinese market, emerging Chinese smart TV manufacturers such as Xiaomi and LeTV are tapping into overseas markets. For instance, TVs produced by LeTV have already been sold in India and several Southeast Asian countries. In 2016, LeTV also set a goal of expanding into the U.S.
In the mean time, Google has started working with Xiaomi to produce a new type of set-top box, which will sell in the U.S. market, according to Chen Tong, Vice-President of Content Investment and Operation at Xiaomi.
The collaboration between Xiaomi and Google suggests an ongoing trend of increasing cooperation between Chinese and foreign companies. Whaley Technology and Oriental Dreamworks entered a strategic cooperation to become China's first smart TV manufacturer to provide IP addresses to access international first-class films.
