Sony and TCL Forge a New Path for Bravia TVs

Earlier this week, Sony rocked the TV industry with an announcement that will have a lasting impact on their future. The company has just launched a new joint venture with TCL Electronics to oversee everything from the actual design of their TVs and audio gear right through to getting them to customers…all over the world that is.

TCL gets the lion’s share of the new joint venture (51%), while Sony retains 49%. The good news for fans is that the Sony brand, which is, of course, closely tied to the well-loved Bravia brand, will stick around. So you’ll still see the Sony logo on those items. Sony brings to the table expertise in imaging and sound, plus experience with brand recognition and supply chain management. TCL, on the flip side, brings their know-how in display tech, big scale production, a cost edge and a reliable supply chain.

Both parties seem pretty content on the deal, judging by what Sony’s President and CEO, Kenichiro Yoshida, has got to say about combining their skills to give customers even more to get excited about when it comes to audio and visual experiences. Meanwhile, TCL Electronics’ Chairperson, Du Juan, reckons this partnership gives an excellent chance to pool their talents and differentiate themselves through tech and processes.

Sony’s TV side has really struggled to stay in the game in a super competitive market. Brands from Korea and China have found it tough to turn a profit because they need to go bigger on display size, resolution and the sort of functionality that lets you stream all the major platforms with a single, fully integrated platform. This setup lets Sony outsource the hardware side of things while keeping the control they need to make their product stand out, the Bravia brand of TVs, that is. TCL gets to benefit from Sony’s top-notch image processing, which is after all the thing that makes them stand out, and with market intensity driving sales the prospect of it selling well is pretty good.

This joint venture won’t be kicking off straight away either, since both sides need a formal agreement signed by the end of March 2026, and first get regulatory approval in each country before they can get up and running some time during April 2027. Meanwhile, the operation for Sony’s audio / video gear due in both 2026 and 2027 will go ahead as planned, with no changes to the product line, pricing or availability.
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