You inquired: Why are TV speakers of poor quality and will Panasonic withdraw from the US market once more?

      In today's You Asked, we explore several viewer concerns: Why are TV speakers so subpar? Why not include five HDMI ports in TVs? Will Panasonic exit the US market again, and is it wise to purchase one of their TVs?

      **Why are TV speakers so inadequate? (Can we eliminate them?)**

      Zeke Jones / Digital Trends

      Mike asks: Why, as we approach 2025, do TVs still feature built-in speakers that fall short? I understand for budget or entry-level models, but when people spend over $2,000, they're probably opting for an AVR or soundbar. It seems like TV manufacturers could save on costs and space by removing speakers from higher-end models, allowing for the promotion of their own budget soundbars. Thanks!

      First of all, not all soundbars are of poor quality. However, I see your perspective. To delve into the speakers-in-TVs debate, let's look at TV tuners.

      Did you know that Vizio removed over-the-air tuners from its M and P series TVs in 2016 and 2017? This alteration meant they couldn't refer to these products as "TVs." In the US, the FCC mandates that a display must include an over-the-air tuner to be labeled a television. Vizio had to market them as monitors or home theater displays.

      Vizio likely thought that with the streaming trend, many customers wouldn't use a tuner, especially since they could now stream a lot of live TV. They may have believed that soon, antennas would be obsolete, and they sought to differentiate themselves by omitting the tuner altogether.

      Dan Baker / Digital Trends

      If Vizio was thinking this way, it resembles a move by Apple, which removed the headphone jack from its phones, assuming wired headphones were less used as everything transitioned to wireless. It was an audacious choice based on the belief that bold decisions were necessary.

      However, Vizio wasn't Apple; the backlash from removing the tuner was intense. Vizio eventually reversed that decision, and some say this marked the beginning of the brand's decline from a once-strong position in the market. The lesson here is that major shifts should not be attempted without the financial backing and influence of a company like Apple.

      Some consumers can't envision having a top-tier high-end TV paired with anything less than an exceptional audio system, perceiving the built-in speakers as entirely unnecessary. That said, it's important to note that this viewpoint represents a minority. TV manufacturers heed feedback from customers, especially when such feedback affects revenue. They are well aware that excluding speakers could elicit significant backlash, which could lead to negative publicity—an outcome they cannot afford. The Vizio case serves as a notable warning of what to avoid.

      Moreover, there’s little benefit in excluding speakers from a TV. It wouldn't substantially reduce costs or make the TV significantly slimmer. There's no advantage to omitting them; it represents a considerable risk without meaningful rewards.

      If a TV brand possessed the same market influence as Apple, they might be able to compel customers to invest in separate audio systems. However, even under such circumstances, such a bold choice could jeopardize the brand's reputation. Therefore, I don't foresee this happening anytime soon.

      This leads to the question: Why do TV speakers tend to underperform? While manufacturers must include speakers, their incentive to create high-quality ones is limited. The speakers only need to be adequate enough to avoid frustrating consumers. There's a significant distinction between having nothing and having disappointing features that fall short of the device’s primary function: the display quality.

      Additionally, the demand for slimmer TVs has pushed manufacturers to innovate audio solutions that fit in minimal space. However, speakers need some room to produce good sound, and positioning them to face the listener rather than downward aids this process. As brands have increasingly installed weaker audio systems while still selling well, they realized customers will accept subpar audio if the overall TV performance meets expectations.

      There are exceptions, of course. Some premium TVs from brands like Hisense, TCL, Sony, and Panasonic come equipped with high-quality audio systems. Sometimes this effort succeeds, and sometimes it doesn't.

      Zeke Jones / Digital Trends

      A solid audio system can add to the cost and complexity of a TV, and in some instances, it’s somewhat of a gamble—as seen with the Panasonic Z95A, which incorporates a built-in soundbar at the bottom. While the sound quality is impressive, some viewers may not appreciate its aesthetics. This situation mirrors when Sony attached speaker strips to the sides of certain models; the sound was decent, but many disliked the look, prompting Sony to quickly abandon the design.

      The lack of motivation to include a premium audio solution is countered by the risks associated with not including one at all. Adopting a "good enough" approach seems to be the prudent route.

      **More HDMI ports, please**

      Zeke Jones / Digital Trends

      Dionicio comments: Given the number of devices we connect to