Google TV will drive the experience in Sony’s new ‘Bravia XR’ televisions

Sony has long since relied on Android TV to help users get the most out of their televisions, but since this year saw the rise and dominance of Google TV, it looks as though the media giant has gained enough confidence in Google’s vision for the future to be on board. Starting with their new Bravia XR lineup of devices, Sony will include Google TV as a part of the core user experience!

Google spoke about their desire to replace Android TV with Google TV sometime within the next two years when they gave official word that Stadia would be available on their new Chromecast sometime in 2021. Their partnership with Sony may very well be a big part of that shift.

“Google TV is going to be on third-party devices that have been working on Android TV OS over the years,

“We are now working with them for 2021 products to include the Google TV experience on their next-generation televisions and OTT devices.”

Gildred added that not every partner device in 2021 will get the Google TV experience, but by the following year he expects Google TV to completely replace its predecessor. 

CNET – view full context

Sony’s Bravia XR TVs are being called the “World’s first cognitive intelligence TV”. Basically, this means that they will utilize a new approach to image processing which will attempt to mimic the way the human brain sees images. The chip inside of these TVs surveys the entire screen in real-time and breaks down specific zones to concentrate on them as needed, optimizing the picture’s brightness, contrast, and color. Right when I thought that TVs couldn’t get any more futuristic, they go and prove me wrong.

In a close up shot, for example, the XR chip will focus on delivering realistic skin tone. But if the camera moves behind an actor, it’ll look for other elements, like the way a sign is lit up in the background, or smoke wafting up from the street.

Learn more about Bravia XR and Cognitive Intelligence on Engadget

Pricing and availability of the Bravia XR lineup will be revealed in the Spring. The more devices that swap over from Android TV to Google TV the better, I say. One upgraded, unified, and awesome experience without the need for an additional hardware dongle is a pretty sweet deal. Honestly, though, these TVs end up being so expensive in their first few years that tossing in a bunch of functionality worth $35 is the least they can do, in my opinion.

The Chromecast has always far surpassed its retail value though, so these new TVs are going to make for some pretty incredible movie nights with Google’s new software driving the experience. If you’d like to watch the full Bravia XR presentation, check it out below!