The company usually debuts its latest Bravia TV lineup in Las Vegas. But for 2023, Sony will focus on PSVR2… and likely its upcoming electric vehicle.
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If there’s one brand that’s inherently linked to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, it’s Sony. Every year, the company unveils its latest and greatest 4K TVs and shows off other home theater hardware at the Las Vegas gathering. If anything is a safe bet at CES, it’s seeing a bunch of fancy new TVs.
But not this time. At least not from Sony — yet.
Sony Electronics isn’t planning to introduce a new TV lineup at CES. Instead, it appears likely to use the event as yet another showcase for the upcoming PlayStation VR2 virtual reality device. It’s right there in the YouTube link for the press conference. Sony has also teased automotive news for the show.
In a statement from Sony Electronics provided by spokesperson Chloe Canta, the company explained that “we plan launch timings based on various factors, and are excited to bring new and exciting technology to customers soon again in 2023.”
So if you were hoping for Sony to unveil the successors to its highly regarded 2022 Bravia XR TVs, it seems you’ll need to wait a bit longer than normal. I wouldn’t expect this to disrupt Sony’s overall TV release strategy, however.
New models typically start shipping sometime in spring, so just because the company is keeping them out of its CES presentation doesn’t mean there will be delays. Topping last year’s sets is a tall order — the A95K OLED is perhaps the very best overall TV on the market today — so I can’t fault Sony for taking its time.
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But now the question becomes… if not TVs, what will Sony be shining the spotlight on in Las Vegas? The PSVR2 headset is close to shipping. Preorders are open, and we’ve already tried it. So this is perhaps Sony’s last chance to outline some compelling reasons for buying the $549.99 virtual reality headset before it hits shelves.
But there’s also the car…
Back in October, Sony and Honda announced plans to begin selling their jointly designed electric vehicles in the US come 2026. The alliance, Sony Honda Mobility, will begin delivery in Japan later that year. The CES stage (and Sony’s booth) could be another demonstration of how the companies plan to make their presence felt in the EV market. Will we see a final production vehicle? Or just a refreshed Vision-S?
In a way, the car emphasis is appropriate. Because while CES is still very much a show about big TV screens, it’s also increasingly become an event focused on the future of transportation.
wazup.