It honestly feels like the end of an era. Sony, the company that practically invented the modern premium TV market, is essentially handing over the keys to its most famous hardware division. In a move that would have been unthinkable twenty years ago, Sony is selling a 51 percent majority stake in its home entertainment business – yes, that includes the iconic Bravia brand – to Chinese giant TCL.
If you need proof that the global TV landscape has completely changed, this is it
The end of Japanese dominance: “Made in Japan” was the gold standard for televisions for a long time. We have watched Toshiba, Hitachi and Pioneer slowly disappear or exit the market altogether. Panasonic and Sharp withdrew years ago. Sony was the last titan left, the only brand that still convinced us to pay a premium because it was Sony.
With the founding of this new joint venture (launching in April 2027), Sony is officially following its predecessors. It’s a bittersweet milestone that signals the final retreat of the Japanese consumer electronics empire.
But from a business perspective? It makes perfect sense. Sony no longer wants to be a box shifter. The margins on hardware are extremely thin and the competition is fierce. These days, Sony makes its real money from things you play on screens, not the screens themselves. We’re talking PlayStation, Spider-Man movies, anime (Crunchyroll), and music rights.
By offloading the heavy lifting of manufacturing to TCL, Sony can keep its brand on the shelf while focusing its energy on its vast intellectual property empire. It’s a classic axiom: “Work smarter, not harder.”
TCL’s Power Move: This is the victory lap for TCL
They’ve spent years conquering the budget space, but they’ve always craved the premium badge. Buying from Sony gives them instant credibility and access to the best imaging expertise in the industry. This is the quickest way for them to move into the higher end of the market and shake off the reputation of a “cheap brand”.
But what about the televisions? This is the part that worries enthusiasts. Sony TVs have always had a distinct “feel” – a cinematic calibration and color accuracy that purists love. With TCL taking the helm in supply chain and production, the big question is whether the distinct Sony DNA will survive.
Will a 2028 Bravia still feel like a Sony, or will it just be a really nice TCL in a nice suit? Only time will tell, but one thing is clear: the definition of a “Sony TV” will change forever.
