The television market in India has evolved over the years, but none more so than what we have witnessed since the pandemic. TVs have become affordable, and most of you prefer to go for smart TVs rather than old-fashion LED TVs. The screen resolution has bumped up from full HD to 4K as the technology has become accessible, allowing more people to experience these features.
But the trend is not just limited to brands like Xiaomi, Realme, Vu and OnePlus, old horses like Sony has become more proactive and shown that they can feature beyond the premium market with some quality products across different price ranges. So, to understand how the company has done this and what it thinks about the future of the TV industry, we spoke to Sunil Nayyar, Managing Director at Sony India to get a closer look at the sector, the company’s own product strategy and how it has catered to the changing demands of the consumers in India.
News18 Tech (NT): Sony BRAVIA TVs are positioned in the premium category, how has the range performed in the past few years?
Sunil Nayyar (SN): The rise in OTT content consumption during the pandemic created a shift from small-screen to large-screen televisions, which is prominently visible across all industry reports. OTT exclusive releases and quick digital launches created demand for cinema-at-home set-ups with large-screen televisions.
To meet these demands, Sony BRAVIA became one of the most preferred choices for customers due to the many industries-first tech innovations we offered. Proprietary technologies like BRAVIA XR, Triluminos, and 3D surround sound, combined with industry technologies like Dolby Vision Atmos, IMAX Enhanced and Netflix Calibrated are now household names.
The new Master Series OLED A95K provides an even bigger boost with colour brightness of up to 200% compared to conventional OLED technology. Overall, our premium televisions grew by more than 60% over the last two years with both premium series OLED and full Array LED being a major contributors to this success story.
NT: What’s your take on the TV segment becoming affordable with a slew of smart TV brands?
SN: With the expansion of OTT services and the increase in the number of Apps available on television, consumers have varied choices with a variety of smart television alternatives now available in the market. In this landscape, Sony offers smart televisions equipped with the latest Google TV UI to not only ensure the latest smart functions but also provide a secure platform.
NT: Most TV brands these days are looking to customise the software for their TVs, what has Sony’s strategy been with its TV platform?
SN: As mentioned previously, the entire FY22 BRAVIA television lineup is now upgraded to the Google TV platform for the best UI and convenient content-watching experience. Leveraging the Google TV platform, customers can, not only enjoy super convenient usage but also have the security of an updatable platform.
NT: Sony has its own software, so why did you decide to switch to Google’s Android TV platform after all these years?
SN: While Sony’s proprietary software has technological advantages; from a customer’s usability perspective, Sony is partnering with Google to utilize their platform to provide customers with an entertainment experience which they are familiar with.
NT: Smart TVs run on Android just like smartphones and they also require updates to secure the TVs, can Sony enlighten us on its strategy for updating the existing Sony smart TV model?
SN: In line with the security standards of the Android/Google platform, we will provide timely updates for the televisions.
NT: Which screen size is preferred by most Indian consumers, and do they go for Full HD or 4K resolution TVs?
SN: Ever since the pandemic, people are spending even more time at home and this trend has created a huge demand to upgrade and create a cinema at-home experience resulting in a definite switch towards large screen sizes especially 140 cm (55) and above models. In terms of technology, customers are moving from full HD televisions to 4K televisions as 4K content is easily available these days and even the latest movie release act as a catalyst for 4K TV demand.
NT: You started manufacturing TVs in India in 2015, what are the challenges posed for local production if any?
SN: All our BRAVIA televisions are now being seamlessly manufactured in India.
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