Next-generation Sony Bravia TVs could be built by TCL

Sony has announced a strategic partnership with TCL, effectively letting the Chinese manufacturer drive the Bravia bus from here on out. The company has essentially handed the keys over to its TV division.

Here’s what the deal means and what the future of Sony TVs looks like.

TCL gets majority stake

TCL is taking a 51 per cent stake in the joint venture, leaving Sony with a minority 49 per cent share. The official press release claims these are “nearly equal partners”.

This new company is set to launch in April 2027, and it will handle everything including design, development, manufacturing, and even customer service.

The main reason why Sony has gone this route is, well, making TVs is expensive work. TCL also makes its own panels through TCL CSOT, which is something Sony stopped doing years ago. At the same time, TCL has been aggressively growing its market share. By teaming up, Sony gets to keep its name on the box without the headache of managing the factory floor.

There’s also a broader trend happening here. Other legacy brands like Panasonic and Vizio have largely stepped away from the TV market to focus on things like PC monitors. Sony might just be reading the room.

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That said, even if you’re a Sony loyalist, this move might actually be great. That’s because any resulting products won’t lose their Bravia soul. Sony would still bring the high-end image processing and audio tech that makes a Bravia look like a Bravia. Meanwhile, TCL would bring the industrial scale and cost efficiency.

The hope is that we get that premium Sony performance without the steep price tag. We might see a “Designed by Sony, Built by TCL” branding push when the first models arrive.

Currently, the deal is just a memorandum of understanding, but they plan to sign the final contract by March.