A Legacy of Innovation That Speaks Volumes
Sony Electronics has always been at the forefront of display technology.
From the iconic Trinitron and the industry- defining BRAVIA® lineup to cutting-edge OLED and Mini LED performance, Sony’s commitment to delivering world-class picture quality isn’t just history—it’s the foundation for what comes next.
And in 2026, Sony is preparing to do it again.
BRAVIA 8 II: The Reigning King
At this year’s Value Electronics “King of TV” Shootout in New York, the Sony BRAVIA 8 II OLED (K65XR80M2) was crowned the best premium OLED TV.
It edged out the top competitor models in the industry across key criteria like brightness handling, color fidelity, motion clarity, and real-world picture accuracy.
This marks Sony’s seventh consecutive King of TV title, reinforcing what dealers and integrators already know: when it comes to home entertainment, specs alone don’t win—the perfect picture relies on experience, expertise, and constant innovation.
The Next Leap: Sony’s New RGB LED Panel Technology
Sony quietly revealed something even more significant earlier this year—an all-new display panel architecture with independent RGB LED backlighting.
This isn’t just an evolution of Mini LED; it’s a fundamental shift in how TVs can deliver light, color, and contrast.
Sony’s newly developed system uses high-density arrays of individually driven red, green, and blue LEDs behind the LCD panel—rather than white LEDs with color filters.
This architecture unlocks remarkable advantages:
- Sony’s brightest TVs ever, matching the professional BVM reference monitors used by Hollywood studios and colorists
- Sony’s best color volume ever
- High-precision local dimming that drastically reduces blooming and elevates contrast
- Wide viewing angles, making it ideal for large spaces
- Scene-adaptive control with Sony’s proprietary 96-bit signal processing
Why It Matters for Integrators
Sony’s new RGB LED panel tech answers long-standing challenges for premium environments, offering scalability to 100″ and beyond, surpassing the size range possible with OLED.
It also provides reference-level color accuracy, and unmatched, no-compromise performance in bright or open-concept rooms.
A Word from the Channel
Kathleen Thomas
“The CI channel is where premium performance thrives, and the market is thirsty for a revolutionary TV technology,” says Kathleen Thomas, head of custom install channel at Sony. “The great news is that it is right around the corner! What Sony is doing with RGB is truly special and unique, and we can’t wait to show you.”
Sony Electronics Launch Expected in 2026
While the RGB backlight technology isn’t physically on display at CEDIA Expo, models featuring the new panel architecture are expected to launch in Spring of 2026.
Sony is investing heavily in production and integration, preparing this technology for real- world installations that demand both performance and scale.
The Bottom Line
Sony’s history of display innovation is legendary—but its future may be even more exciting.
The BRAVIA 8 II proves that Sony continues to lead in OLED performance today.
And with RGB backlight technology on the horizon, the next era of large-screen, high-brightness, color-accurate TVs is already taking shape.
So, while you’re walking the CEDIA Expo 2025 show floor this year, remember: Sony’s biggest innovation isn’t mounted on a wall—it’s being built behind the scenes.
And it’s coming in 2026.
