On at the moment’s episode of You Requested: Sony’s new Bravia partnership with TCL raises massive questions on pricing, high quality, and information privateness. We break down what it means, whether or not a brand new QD-OLED is coming this 12 months, and the way anti-glare screens actually carry out in a darkish room.
Sony and the brand new Bravia Inc
Sony Bravia 8 Digital Developments
@charltonium4083 asks: Right here’s one concern that isn’t mentioned within the video or any of the feedback: Which nation could have major jurisdiction over the brand new Bravia inc? Will or not it’s China (TCL), or Japan (Sony)? Again in 2020, Homeland Safety found that TCL could also be instantly sponsored by the CCP and that the TVs have backdoors to permit information to be breached by the federal government (thus permitting it to spy on clients). This has additionally been a extra downside with different firms like TikTok and DJI, though a bit extra publicized with them to the purpose the place the USA has repeatedly threatened to ban all DJI merchandise. If TCL owns 51% of the brand new Bravia inc, significantly within the manufacturing and enterprise facet, does that imply that it additionally has all the clients’ information, and that the CCP might have extra capacity to spy on clients via the brand new Bravia TVs going ahead? I’d be far much less involved if the shopper information was really dealt with by Sony (underneath Japan’s jurisdiction).
OK, fairly a loaded query there with some implicit bias, to say the least. However we’re going to get into all of it.
First, Bravia Inc can be positioned in Tokyo, Japan inside Sony’s headquarters. In order that’s the place the enterprise can be. Manufacturing is prone to happen the place TCL has its bigger services, like China, Mexico, and Vietnam. Considered one of their greatest benefits is large-scale manufacturing services that hold effectivity excessive and costs low.
As to your spying considerations, you may be shocked to know that simply final month, March 2026, a Texas choose dismissed a lawsuit from the Texas Legal professional Normal accusing TCL of monitoring consumer habits with out consent and promoting that information to advertisers. So whereas our web privateness stays an ongoing concern, TCL and Sony most likely shouldn’t be a serious concern. Personally, I’m extra involved about Meta, Google, Amazon, and lots of of cellphone apps which have extra entry than a wise TV.
Both approach, be sure you observe protected web use. Learn the consumer agreements while you register. Perceive the place your information goes, who it may be bought to, and tips on how to restrict what’s monitoring you with VPNs, advert blockers, and different instruments.
Manufacturing and pricing technique
Sony A95L Zeke Jones / Digital Developments
@theGovnr1 asks: To me, it appears the brand new merchandise could have the Sony know-how and design however be manufactured by TCL.
And that’s my take as effectively. I feel the objective is for manufacturing to turn out to be cheaper. There are a number of excellent Bravia-branded TVs available on the market, and most would let you know their image high quality is greatest at school. But when I’m not mistaken, they fall behind Samsung, LG, TCL, and Hisense in general gross sales, seemingly as a result of value. So if having TCL deal with manufacturing lowers the worth whereas sustaining the picture processing know-how that makes Sony what it’s, that’s a win.
Time will inform, and till the day comes when now we have a TCL-manufactured Bravia TV to check, there’s actually not a lot anybody can do to vary minds. Primarily based on feedback, a lot of you have got clearly determined that this isn’t for the higher and the Bravia model is doomed. Hopefully, you’re fallacious, as a result of then we will all get Sony-level TVs for much less.
Sony OLED lineup outlook
Bravia 9 and Bravia 8 Mk II Digital Developments
@1.doubleyou asks: Will there be a brand new QD-OLED TV from Sony this 12 months?
I’m leaning towards no, for a few causes. One, they’re pouring a ton of sources and advertising into the discharge of their True RGB Mini LED TV. And two, they’ve been staggering their massive TV updates each different 12 months.
In 2023, we acquired the A95L QD-OLED. In 2024, we acquired the Bravia 9, their flagship Mini LED TV. Then in 2025, the Bravia 8 Mark II turned the successor to the A95L within the QD-OLED division. And this 12 months, most likely earlier than later, we’ll have extra particulars on this True RGB TV that can take over the flagship Mini LED function from the Bravia 9.
To not point out, with the TCL merger, there might must be some changes in how Sony’s OLEDs are manufactured earlier than we get a brand new one.
Do anti-glare TVs fail in darkish rooms?
Samsung
@CoolVibe-w5f has a Samsung query in reference to their anti-glare screens, asking: How do the blacks look in a darkish room in comparison with a shiny display screen? From what I’ve learn, the blacks should not fairly one hundred pc, particularly subsequent to a shiny display screen.
A smart individual as soon as mentioned: You’ll be able to’t imagine every thing you learn on the web. What I’ve seen, take it or depart it, may be very little to no distinction in a darkish room. If the one gentle being emitted within the room is coming from the TV, you will note pure black. I’m assured in that, and clearly Samsung is in addition to they proceed to increase that anti-glare panel into extra TVs.
This 12 months, it’s within the S95H in addition to the S90H. Earlier S90 fashions nonetheless had the shiny display screen. The anti-glare panel is featured in a number of Mini LED TVs as effectively.
I don’t suppose they’d hold going all in on the know-how in the event that they weren’t positive it was delivering a viewing expertise on par with the very best from Sony and LG. We did a video some time in the past placing the Samsung S95D subsequent to LG’s flagship OLED in a darkish room to point out the distinction. And I’ve seen others put their 2025 fashions, the S95F and S90F, facet by facet, and it’s very troublesome to see a distinction, should you can see one in any respect.
