Hisense traces its origins to the Qingdao Number 2 Radio Factory, established in September 1969 as a state-owned enterprise during China's industrial development period. The factory's first product was a radio sold under the brand name Red Lantern, but the company soon gained television manufacturing expertise through a trial-production of black and white televisions ordered by the Shandong National Defense Office.
The early development involved technical training of three employees at Tianjin 712, another Chinese electronics factory, resulting in the production of 82 televisions by 1971 and the development of transistor televisions by 1975. Hisense's first TV model, the CJD18, was produced in 1978, establishing the company's foundation in television manufacturing.
Television production in China was limited until 1979, but a meeting of the Ministry of Electronics in Beijing concluded with calls for greater development of the civil-use electronics industry. Qingdao Number 2 Radio Factory was merged with other local electronics makers and manufactured televisions under the name Qingdao General Television Factory in Shandong province, setting the stage for Hisense's emergence as a major electronics manufacturer.
The Hisense Group emerged in 1994 following radical changes initiated in 1992 by then-president Zhou Houjian, who transformed the company from a state-owned enterprise to a competitive market-oriented manufacturer. The Hisense Electrical Appliance Share Holding Company (now Hisense Electrical Co Ltd) was publicly listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in April 1997, providing capital for expansion and modernization.
Increased competition and price wars in the Chinese electronics market during the 1990s benefited Hisense strategically, as the company acquired ten failing enterprises by 1998, expanding its capabilities and market presence. This period of consolidation positioned Hisense for rapid growth in the following decades.
Eager to expand beyond consumer electronics, Hisense aimed to become a regional leader in household appliances, computers, and communications. The company made significant capital investments in research and development and established industrial parks to support its diversification strategy. Recognizing limitations in its own technology, Hisense strategically purchased technology licenses from major international companies including Matsushita, Hitachi, Lucent, NEC, Sanyo, Toshiba, and Qualcomm.
Innovation became a core focus, with Hisense developing a digital media processing chip named "HiView" for color television sets in 2005. In 2013, the company invented a type of transparent 3D television, demonstrating its commitment to cutting-edge display technology.
Strategic acquisitions accelerated Hisense's global expansion. In July 2015, Hisense bought a Mexico facility from Sharp for $23.7 million alongside rights to use the Sharp brand on televisions sold in North and South America. In November 2017, Hisense announced it would gain a 95% controlling stake in Toshiba Visual Solutions for US$113 million, significantly expanding its presence in the premium television market. In 2018, Hisense became the majority shareholder in Slovenian appliance manufacturer Gorenje with 95.4% of shares, adding strong European appliance manufacturing capabilities.
Technology innovation continued with the introduction of the world's first 8K 10 bit HDR screen TV based on an AI-powered HDR algorithm in 2020, featuring an image quality engine claiming 6.5T supercomputing power. In May 2022, Hisense launched its first 4K Fire TV, integrating streaming capabilities into its television products.
In 2026, Hisense continued its innovation leadership with the UR9 and UR8 series announced at CES 2026, bringing RGB Mini-LED technology to smaller screen sizes (55-100 inches), making this cutting-edge technology more accessible to mainstream consumers. The company has developed proprietary image processing chips in-house and its premium models genuinely compete with TVs costing 30-50% more from established competitors.