Sony waited until the end of CES to preserve the attention of the trade show and make a bombshell announcement that is shaking up the television manufacturing sector this afternoon: the veteran competitor is withdrawing from the fray, abandoning its legendary Bravia brand, and will now remain in the field through a joint venture in which TCL will own 51% of the operation.
The Chinese manufacturer, which has carved out a considerable niche in the market in recent years with its great value for money and which was already competing in cutting-edge technology with its announcements, has secured a stronger position with the purchase in the face of the predominant dominance of South Korean manufacturers (LG and Samsung).
According to Nikkei, the new company "will operate under Japanese brand names", so it is understood that the sale includes the rights to exploit products previously known as part of the Sony line-up. In other words, there will still be "Sony Bravia" TVs, but they will not be the same. According to the agreement, the new ones manufactured by TCL will begin to hit the market in April 2027, at the start of the next fiscal year.
Long-time fans of Bravia screens are lamenting the announcement with messages such as: "The younger generations don't know what it was like to walk into a friend's living room and see a Sony TV." Ultimately, we must remember the importance that the company placed on this division, which saved the day during the tortuous early days of PlayStation 3. What do you think of this move?