[CES 2026]Hisense Targets Air Conditioning Market Sought by Samsung and LG... China’s Offensive Led by Unitree Robotics

At CES 2026, the world’s largest electronics and information technology exhibition, which opened on January 6 (local time) in Las Vegas, Chinese companies asserted their presence by showcasing both technological prowess and commercial viability across all sectors of AI, robotics, and mobility. Moving beyond their previous focus on televisions and home appliances, they occupied large central areas of the exhibition hall and placed mass-producible, market-ready products at the forefront of their displays.

The largest exhibition area at the Las Vegas Convention Center was also taken up by Chinese companies. From humanoid robots to AI-powered home appliances and core components for autonomous driving, they presented a wide spectrum of technologies, establishing a competitive landscape that spans the entire industry rather than focusing on a single product category. On-site evaluations noted a significant increase in the proportion of products ready for immediate market launch, rather than just conceptual demonstrations.

On the 6th local time, the TCL exhibition hall is bustling with visitors at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, where CES 2026, the world's largest electronics and information technology exhibition, is being held. Photo by So-Yeon Park

In the robotics sector, the technological strength of Chinese companies was particularly apparent. More than half of the exhibitors showcasing humanoid robots were Chinese firms. Among them, Unitree Robotics drew one of the largest crowds at this year’s CES. At booth 9263 in the North Hall, Unitree unveiled both its small humanoid G1 and large humanoid H2 simultaneously.

The G1 demonstrated AI-based hand manipulation technology and complex movements, highlighting its potential applications in household and educational settings. The H2, standing around 180 centimeters tall and featuring 31 degrees of freedom, showcased capabilities aimed at industrial inspections and heavy equipment operations. The industrial quadruped robot B2 emphasized its applicability in industrial environments through demonstrations of all-terrain mobility and heavy-load operations. Unitree also revealed a business expansion strategy, not only selling robot hardware but also presenting factory automation solutions and robot-as-a-service models.

Chinese companies also demonstrated a clear shift in strategy in the AI and home appliance integration sector. Major television manufacturers exhibited a wide array of products equipped with proprietary AI technologies, rapidly narrowing the technological gap with Korean companies. Smaller firms also showcased cleaning robots and home appliances with AI control systems, emphasizing integrated control structures tailored to real-world usage environments.

Hisense placed a strong emphasis on air conditioning technology. In a section separated from the main living space, the company showcased a comprehensive air conditioning system by grouping together cooling, heating, and ventilation equipment. By highlighting an AI-driven structure that automatically controls indoor air quality and usage patterns, Hisense introduced solutions not only for residential but also for commercial facilities. As demand for high-efficiency cooling technologies grows with the proliferation of AI data centers, Hisense is seen as directly targeting the air conditioning sector-a field that Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have recently been investing heavily in.

TCL, meanwhile, shifted its focus beyond home appliances to vehicle displays. The company prominently featured a car mockup equipped with large dashboard panels and rollable displays, demonstrating the potential for screen utilization within automotive interiors. By expanding its display technology from the home to vehicles, TCL is seen as broadening its scope from a home appliance manufacturer to a player in the automotive electronics sector.

On the 6th (local time), the Dreamy exhibition hall was bustling with visitors at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, where CES 2026, the world's largest electronics and information technology exhibition, is being held. Photo by So-Yeon Park

In the mobility and autonomous driving components sector, lidar companies continued their aggressive push. Hesai Technology unveiled a lineup of next-generation sensors and announced plans to expand production capacity, targeting both the automotive and robotics industries. In the automotive sector, Great Wall Motor exhibited a large gasoline engine amid the new energy vehicle trend, signaling a strategy to address diverse market demands simultaneously.

An industry official commented, "At this year’s CES, Chinese companies moved beyond simple exhibition to present a wide range of products equipped with both price competitiveness and mass production systems, marking a new stage." With the simultaneous presentation of technology demonstrations and business models at CES 2026, analysts believe Chinese companies have entered a full-fledged phase of competition in the global electronics and technology market.

On the 6th (local time), the Hisense exhibition hall was bustling with visitors at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, where CES 2026, the world's largest electronics and information technology exhibition, is being held. Photo by So-Yeon Park