One of the consistent new features for smart TVs this year is 8K, and Sony was definitely not going to be left behind in that regard.
Announced at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which is going on right now in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sony has confirmed that its newest smart televisions will support Apple’s AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. This is not too surprising, of course, considering Sony has been rolling out support for the Apple-specific features throughout 2019.
So of course its newest smart TVs would also support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit.
And indeed, that is the case. Sony’s confirmed that its newest smart TVs, including the high-end 8K models, will support the features. The newest 8K model is the Z8H 8K LED, while Sony also introduced the A8H and MASTER Series A9S OLED. Finally, the company introduced the X950H and X900H 4K LED smart TVs.
Sony’s newest 8K and 4K smart TVs are adopting some of the features that have been previously only available in the MASTERS series, which Sony says is part of the company’s goal to get a more immersive viewing experience for more TV sets.
By utilizing Sony’s best-in-class Picture Processor X1™ Ultimate, clear and precise picture quality is achieved, offering customers a highly realistic viewing experience. Additionally, with TRILUMINOS™ Display, Sony reproduces the subtle nuances of color, light and gradation from video lens to living room, offering more shades of red, green and blue than ever before. Premium quality sound is a key part of the viewing experience as well, and the new models feature Sound-from-Picture Reality™, which aligns the position of the sound with the images on the screen to offer a uniquely lifelike experience. The new models will continue to deliver the creator’s intent with Netflix Calibrated Mode, offering studio-quality Netflix content, and IMAX® Enhanced™1, which brings The IMAX Experience into the home by offering a new level of sight, sound and scale.
This lineup also introduces Ambient Optimization, a new technology that optimizes picture and sound quality in any customer environment. To bring this new concept to life, Acoustic Auto Calibration detects where the customer views their TV from during initial setup and calibrates sound quality based on the environment. This new feature brings the television’s full sound potential to any environment.
In addition to Ambient Optimization, this lineup will feature a new Immersive Edge design concept. In order to maximize the immersive experience, a noiseless stand is now located at the edge of the screen. The minimalist stand is less noticeable, offering customers an improved and unobstructed viewing experience.
As far as sizes are concerned, sizes range between 45 inches and 85 inches, with the Z8H 8K LED coming in at 85 inches.
With AirPlay 2, the new Sony-branded smart TVs will be able to communicate with other AirPlay 2-equipped devices like the HomePod. And with HomeKit integration, the smart TVs can react to voice commands doled out to Siri, which means you can do things like change the volume.
As mentioned above, LG made a similar announcement today, including its newest 8K and 4K smart TVs.
Do you plan on upgrading to a new TV this year?