Sony will add Google Assistant to new generation TVs at the end of this year

Sony is the first manufacturer to announce Google Assistant for its televisions with Android TV. A firmware update for the TVs that the company will release this year will be released at the end of this year. The assistant can also control devices other than the TV.

Users will be able to press the microphone button and use the Google Assistant after the firmware update later this year, the company reports in an update on the US availability and prices of its new batch of TVs. With voice control, the assistant can then answer questions, find films and videos or, for example, show results of competitions. In addition, the assistant can be used to operate external devices such as dim lamps, provided they support this.

Sony announced its new line of TVs with Android TV in January. This concerns 4K LCD televisions with HDR in the X-line in the formats 43″, 49″, 55″, 65″ and 75″, and OLED models of 55″, 65″ and 77″ in the Sony Bravia A1 series. All TVs include a ‘4K HDR X1 Extreme’ processor and can run apps and stream videos via built-in Chromecast functionality. Of the LCD TVs, the most expensive model is the XBR-75X940E with a price of 7500 dollars, converted and with VAT 8530 euros. The cheapest model, the XBR-43X800E, costs 1000 dollars, which, converted and including VAT, amounts to 1137 euros.

Until now, only Google’s own Home speaker and the Pixel smartphones run the Google Assistant. There were already indications that Google wants to bring the assistant to more devices. The LG G6 smartphone, among others, is rumored to have the assistant.