Every year CES showcases a batch of weird and wonderful gadgets, but for every odd number of chewing dog robots there’s a regular announcement like a new TV from the likes of Sony or LG. That won’t be the case this year, at least not for Sony.The brand says it won’t be announcing a TV at CES 2023.
That is correct.Instead of revealing the successor to last year’s Sony XR-A95K TV (the brand’s first consumer-friendly QD-OLED display), Sony has announced what we’d expected to be the next-generation car-like device. Focus on the PlayStation VR 2 headset. At least based on images used in the upcoming CES 2023 conference live stream (opens in new tab).
In a statement to The Verge (opens in new tab)a Sony spokesperson revealed that “Sony will not be sharing TV details during CES 2023.” In a subsequent statement to FlatPanelsHD (opens in new tab)Sony revealed that it will be hosting a separate event for the TV announcement “later this spring” (i.e. March, April, or May).
The news is certainly shocking, and while Sony’s announcement on TV is basically a free square at CES Bingo, it seems like the right idea is to stop making TV announcements this year.
Come out with the old, go with the new
As brands like Sony and Apple begin to venture into new tech areas with their efforts in VR and electric vehicles, they need to make sure they give their products room to thrive. I’ve previously said that Apple should unveil his long-awaited Apple XR headset at its own dedicated event, or a less consumer-focused conference like WWDC. A new iPhone or MacBook.
Likewise, given how much Sony can hype up its incredible TVs (especially its recent 5-star review-worthy QD-OLED effort), PSVR and EV announcements are understandable. I’m not saying it will be ignored entirely, but Sony’s TVs have been consistently impressive over the past few years, so it’s easy to get excited and understand. Sony’s VR and EV track record is much shorter, if not non-existent.
In that regard, there’s another good reason to swap TVs for VR and EVs: direct attendees at CES 2023.
It’s really hard to sell VR with a trailer. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had the experience of being afraid to play after seeing the trailer before actually putting on the headset and realizing the game is actually great. is the same. They said they weren’t interested in VR, then tried it out and messaged me a few days later about which headset I should buy. Spoilers for Oculus Quest 2.
For Sony, CES 2023 presents a great opportunity to get a new headset in front of writers, reporters and influencers. Likewise, attendees were able to test drive Sony’s new car, though it may be too early to do so. Instead, you may have to be surprised to find it anchored to the show floor.
The TV will have to be tested in person too – so you can be sure the performance is as impressive as Sony promises – but frankly, the conference show floor is much more than a quick first impression. No. Crowded, noisy, and slightly smelly spaces are a far cry from the living room environment most of us set up for home entertainment. So while we may post a real-life review based on our initial testing with the TV for the event, wait until you’ve used the TV in its intended environment before uploading a full rating review.
It’s also not that Sony won’t launch a TV in 2023, it just won’t announce it at CES. We won’t have to wait too long to find out what kind of display we have in store.
Can’t wait for Sony to launch a new TV? Check out our picks for the best TVs you can buy today.
