Sony has announced that some of its older OLED and LCD TVs from 2018, 2019 and 2020 are being updated from Android 9 to Android 10, bringing new features such as Living Decor to those models.
The company said the firmware update is being made available to users in North America and Asia first and will be rolled out “soon” in Europe as well.
The firmware began rolling out last month, and applies to a number of Sony’s higher-end TVs, including the A9F/AF9, A9G/AG9, A8/A8H, X950G/XG95, X950H/XH95 and X850H/XH85
One of the best new features is Living Decor, which Sony describes as a function that allows the TV to double as a picture frame or clock, or even attempt to disguise itself to look like part of the interior of the room.
There’s a new layout for the TV settings menu too, and a number of setting options will be renamed, so they might be tricky to find again. The update also makes it possible to control and update compatible Sony soundbars from directly within the TV’s settings, and it will make it easier to pin broadcast channels.
The other changes are fairly minor, such as the name change in the LED indicator settings, which is used to switch on or off the Voice Function LED. It’s also replacing the TV Control Setup with Amazon Alexa app with the TV Control with Smart Speakers app.
Sony said the rollout will be done gradually, so don’t be surprised if you don’t see the update available on your TV yet. Often, the company can take several months to introduce new firmware to all compatible models globally. Users can check for the update in their Settings menu, or they may be able to download it directly for installation via USB from their local Sony support website.
It should be noted that Android 10 isn’t the most recent version of that platform. The latest version is actually Android 12, which ships with Sony’s current flagship TV, the A95L QD-OLED model. That’s because it’s the only Sony TV that uses the MediaTek Pentonic 1000 chipset that comes pre-installed with Android 12. Most of Sony’s other 2023 models run Android 10.
