Paweł Koper
What happened on 20 January 2026 will be remembered as one of the most significant moments in the history of consumer electronics. Sony Corporation and TCL Electronics have officially announced the signing of a letter of intent that upends the existing balance of power in the television market. Both companies have decided to establish a new joint venture that will take over the entire home entertainment business of the Japanese giant. The biggest surprise is the ownership structure of this venture – it will be Chinese TCL that holds 51% of the shares, becoming the majority partner, while Sony will retain 49% of the shares.
The End of Sony's Independence
The decision for such deep cooperation is a classic example of a "marriage of convenience," in which both parties bring what they do best to the union. Sony has long been regarded as a market benchmark in terms of picture quality, XR processors, and colour fidelity; however, the Japanese manufacturer has struggled with enormous production and logistics costs, lacking its own panel factories. On the other hand, TCL is now a manufacturing powerhouse, equipped with state-of-the-art assembly lines and significant operational scale that allows for drastic reductions in final costs. The combination of Japanese engineering with Chinese efficiency is set to be the answer to the growing dominance of Korean brands and changing viewer habits.
Many fans of the Bravia brand may feel uneasy, however, the message from both companies clearly defines the future of these legendary products. The televisions and audio equipment produced under the new company will still bear the logos of Sony and Bravia. This means that for the end customer, the brand will remain recognisable, and on shop shelves, we will still see products associated with the premium segment. However, the process of their creation will change – the new company will take full responsibility for the entire product lifecycle, from early design, through production, to global sales and service.
However, we will have to wait a little longer for the final effects of this partnership. Sony and TCL plan to finalize all binding agreements by the end of March 2026. After obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals, the new company is set to officially begin operational activities in April 2027. Until then, Sony will operate under the current terms, but the industry is already watching this move with bated breath, which effectively ends the era of the Japanese legend producing televisions independently!
Source: https://www.sony.co.jp/en/news-release/202601/26-0120E/
