Lengthy Dwell Sony TVs: New TCL Deal May Imply Stronger Future for Basic Model

A number of months in the past, former editor for CNET Australia Mark Serrels wrote this on Bluesky (and I will paraphrase): “Boomers love Sony, I’ve by no means seen something prefer it.” This remark got here again to me yesterday, after listening to information of TCL and Sony forming a new joint company to supply Sony residence audio and TVs, particularly Bravias.

See additionally: These Are the Most Head-Turning TVs of CES 2026

Some persons are shocked by the choice, and it is more than likely the long-term followers who’re most upset. But here is the rub: Sony hasn’t produced a TV of its personal, from tip to tail, in a long time. What this announcement primarily means is that one more firm can be manufacturing the TVs, and it is an organization that is ready to construct the entire thing: TCL. TCL owns its panel manufacturing, has its personal meeting crops and a longtime distribution community. The corporate is ready to do issues cheaper, and while you couple this with the corporate’s persistently excessive efficiency of the previous few years, it makes a collaboration very engaging to an organization identified for its image high quality.

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I used to be fortunate sufficient to attend the Japanese launch of Bravia, which was the “butterfly flapping its wings within the Amazon” second that led us right here. It was the primary time Sony broke its reliance on CRT and even plasma — the 2 issues the corporate may produce itself. It was the brand new world of LCDs, a expertise that enabled very skinny and light-weight cupboards, and that did not burn in like these different two varieties. The unique Bravia panels had been produced by S-LCD Corporation, a three way partnership between Samsung and Sony, a partnership that mimics yesterday’s announcement. 

Within the 80s and 90s, Sony constructed a powerful fanbase with its Trinitron TVs, however its 2005 LCD growth was one thing fully completely different. Sony introduced over its image processing know-how, which the corporate nonetheless prides itself on, nevertheless it primarily relied on one other producer to make the panels.

I am not an economist, so I am not going into the hows and whys of a high-value yen that makes it laborious to compete on this planet market on the subject of exported items like TVs. But, it is no coincidence that Sony is likely one of the final high-profile Japanese manufacturers within the American market to withstand licensing its identify. Sharp, Pioneer and Toshiba are among the many many manufacturers that left the US and offered their licenses to a different firm that might produce good TVs for much less. (Whereas Panasonic recently reentered the US market, it solely has a few fashions in comparison with *firehose emoji*.)

Sure, Sony has had a particularly successful gaming business, however the firm makes more cash on the software program than the {hardware}. The corporate would not have fairly the identical income stream on the subject of TVs, and whereas it did attempt with the discontinued Sony Pictures Store and PlayStation Vue, it will probably’t compete with market leaders like Netflix and YouTube TV.

The factor that most individuals are nervous about is the 51% controlling curiosity that belongs to TCL. Certain, which means TCL will make many of the selections, and it might change the expertise combine from LCD and OLED to Micro-LED, however does this actually matter?

I’ve owned two Sony TVs in my life — a Trinitron CRT and a Wega rear-projection TV — and nonetheless look again upon them fondly. The corporate stays in excessive regard, no matter who makes the panels. As an example, the 2025 Bravia II bought some nice critiques, and the corporate remains to be seen as capable of bundle an amazing TV — at a considerably larger worth, or with a “Sony tax,” and that is the rub.

On my nightstand, I’ve a flyer promoting the launch of Sony’s new TV vary for the approaching yr. It says “And Do not Neglect… Sony RGB is Coming. Spring 2026.” That is proper, the expertise de jour at CES 2026 seems to be coming to Sony TVs this yr (extra particulars are anticipated quickly). Whereas TCL was speaking up its anti-RGB-mini-LED X11L on the present, to the disregard of every little thing else, I seen that firm was displaying some preproduction RGB backlit TVs at its CES sales space. It would not shock me in any respect if TCL was the supply for this new Sony vary.

But, does this new enterprise imply the “dying” of Sony or image high quality, or no matter different sky-is-falling factor folks can complain about? Briefly: No. With the formation of the brand new firm projected in 2027, Sony will have the ability to preserve its identify and have some management over the design and manufacturing of its signature product: TVs. That is one thing that not one of the different Japanese corporations have been capable of pull off as efficiently and may allow the continuation of Sony’s good standing for a few years to come back. In 2040, you could even see somebody like me write, “Gen Xers love Sony.”