Since 1960, when Sony announced its first direct-view television, hawse have been continually evolving our TV product range, making it clear that improving user experience is at the forefront of our designs.

Following the tumultuous past two years with a lot of the people confined to their homes, in 2021 there were an estimated 1.72 billion TV households worldwide. With a surge in at-home viewing, consumers have been increasingly looking to enhance their home entertainment systems to suit a new way of experiencing content. This year, Sony introduced the newest instalment of its BRAVIA XR range that comes packed full of features to enhance the viewing experience and make everyday lives easier.

Sony’s includes the MASTER Series A95K QD-OLED, MASTER Series A90K and A80K 4K OLED, MASTER Series Z9K 8K and X95K 4K Mini LED, and X90K 4K LED TVs. They all boast a range of features such as a completely redesigned remote, Google TV and smart home control, as well as the brand new BRAVIA CAM. This new line-up is not only designed to elevate the TV viewing experience, but also make the products more accessible to all types of users with unique needs, such as those with visual and hearing impairments.

You’ll always find your remote control

Sony’s products are designed with our consumers’ lives in mind. Therefore, when creating our new simple remote control, we implemented extensive user feedback on the size and quality of the remote throughout the design process.

The new remote control showcases simplicity with a more intuitive design, while also allowing users to control their TV hands-free thanks to a built-in microphone. The finder function is a useful novelty – it enables users to locate a lost remote by simply saying “Hey, Google, find my remote”[1], a great way to reduce time wasted searching your living room

The simplistic design also comes with easy-to-see buttons and backlighting[2], so the remote can be located quickly in dark rooms. Also, it is difficult to flip over when pressing the buttons, even when remote control is lying flat on a table.

Sony designers revealed these additions were also key in creating a more inclusive product. User feedback suggested a compact, intuitive remote was more accessible to those with visual impairments. Sanika Moharana, UX Human Factors Engineer and Designer from Sony North of America said, “I want to continue eliminating barriers for the benefit of people with impairments and create a world where everyone can access media contents in the same way”. The addition of the new smart remote appears to be a large steppingstone in “creating a world with no limitation” that Sony has been striving for.

BRAVIA CAM for television like never before

Alongside Sony’s 2022 TV line up came the slick, new BRAVIA CAM. This added feature not only allows you to elevate your entertainment experience, but also puts the new BRAVIA XR TVs at the centre of an at-home, video communication set up. The BRAVIA CAM allows you to catch up with family and friends on the big screen, making it a great addition to the home as it becomes increasingly important to integrate remote catch-ups into both our work and personal lives.

Sony has also created the BRAVIA CAM to enable full immersion while viewing. The camera is designed to work with Ambient Optimization Pro[3], which optimises TV setup by adjusting the volume and directing the sound depending on where you are sat. With this feature you can ensure you’re getting the most out of your film and taking in the atmosphere of any scene, no matter the layout or size of the room.

BRAVIA CAM also introduced a range of features which help create an effortless viewing experience. Gesture Control[4], Proximity Alert[5] and Auto Power Saving[6] are all designed with the user in mind and with the idea that a good viewing experience lies deeper than simply enhancing the content.

Gesture Control allows quick TV control by simply waving at the TV, making it simple and accessible while watching a film to pause, rewind, fast-forward and more. Auto Power Saving keeps an eye on your power consumption by dimming the screen when it detects you’re not in front of the TV. While proximity alert allows you to set a proper viewing distance for your child, where an alert pops up on screen if they get too close. With the increased importance of at-home entertainment, features like these help create a viewing experience that is individually tailored to any family, all while looking out for the small things so you don’t have to.

Connect your home with one screen

By 2024 it is predicted that consumers will be interacting with over 8.4 billion smart assistants worldwide, meaning homes without a smart device will be few and far between. Sony has created the new BRAVIA XR line-up with an already built-in Google Assistant, making it easier than ever to operate the TV itself or search for content. You simply say “Hey Google” or “OK Google” and name a task.  With televisions often being the centre of a living space, the integration of Google Assistant means you can easily find answers to any question and control connected smart home devices all from one place, from the comfort of your sofa.

Seamless integration of services

Alongside Sony’s 2022 BRAVIA XR line up, helping to create a perfect home-entertainment system, is the BRAVIA CORE movie app. With BRAVIA XR technology, Pure Stream and IMAX Enhanced, you can access an impressive catalogue of films all while viewing in the highest in-streaming picture quality and with stellar, expressive sound. “We bring together the best film makers, the best actors and deliver that to consumers in a way that makes it most compelling for them, through the brilliance of Sony technology” said Keith Le Goy, Chairman, Worldwide Distribution and Networks, Sony Pictures Entertainment.  The combination of BRAVIA XR and BRAVIA CORE is helping bring movies to Sony consumers to experience at home and tailoring to a new form of content consumption.

Sony is also offering the integration of various features to improve the viewing experience on other streaming services. Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode is a new display mode that utilises Sony’s BRAVIA XR ambient light sensor. This feature ensures that artistic intent is preserved in all lighting conditions. For extra convenience, Google TV on BRAVIA XR brings together more than 700,000 movies, shows, live TV and apps and helps organise them so you can easily find a show to watch with tailored recommendations.