We think it's fair to say that Sony enjoyed a pretty successful 2026. It delivered a handful of new five-star products, including the Bravia 8 II QD-OLED TV, which our TV and AV editor deemed to be the best TV he has ever tested.
We were also treated to the excellent Bravia Projector 7, and this quote from our review should speak for itself: “our picture testing points us to one obvious conclusion: the Bravia Projector 7 is an excellent home cinema projector.”
Sony, as a whole, took home no fewer than three Product of the Year Awards in the home cinema categories last month, and that's not counting the four additional Awards it won in the wireless headphones category.
That all being said, with just a week of 2025 left before we ring in the new year, we're looking forward to what Sony could be revealing in 2026.
The Japanese AV giant has already given us a huge clue as to what its big 2026 TV innovation will be, but other than that, we're making some educated predictions based on its most recent releases, alongside a few products we hope to see.
Sony's first RGB Mini LED TV is on the horizon
We already know that Sony is developing a TV based on the new RGB Mini LED backlight technology. In fact, we have seen Sony's prototype in action a couple of times now; once during a trip to the company's headquarters, and again during a behind-closed-doors demo at IFA 2025.
This new panel tech consists of separate red, blue and green LEDs, thus removing the need for a blue LED backlight with a QDEF (Quantum Dot Enhancement Film) layer sandwiched between it and the LCD panel.
The benefits include higher brightness, improved contrast and colour volume, and a major reduction in blooming.
All of these picture benefits sound excellent on paper, and it could pose a serious threat to OLED – but only time will tell if Sony's take on the new panel technology will impress us as much as the QD-OLED-touting Bravia 8 II does.
As of now, we remain on the cautious side. The last time Sony launched an advanced backlit TV that used new panel technology, we got the Bravia 9. While this remains an impressive TV in many ways, and one that we still very much like, we ultimately feel that comparable OLEDs deliver a better experience.
We're betting on at least one new OLED...
Sony has deployed an interesting strategy when it comes to TV release schedules. Instead of updating its whole lineup each year in the same way that Samsung and LG do, Sony has segmented its lineup and updated specific TVs each year, a process it began alongside its big Bravia relaunch in 2024.
That year gave us the excellent Bravia 8 OLED TV, the talented Bravia 7, and the affordable Bravia 9. This year, we got the show-stopping Bravia 8 II, as well as the Bravia 5 and Bravia 3 models (the latter of which launched in 2024 overseas).
So, which TVs will Sony update in 2026? That's yet to be confirmed, but we'd bet on at least one new OLED TV, and we don't think it will be a replacement for the Bravia 8 II.
It will more likely be a replacement for the existing Bravia 8, which will turn two years old this year. It makes sense for Sony to replace its mainstream OLED offering, which is available in core screen sizes ranging from 55 to 77 inches, with models that take on the likes of LG's C-series and Samsung's S90-series models for 2026.
That being said, we would also love Sony to remember the smaller-sized OLEDs, and finally update the A90K, which has soldiered on since 2022. It's soon to be four years old, but there has been no indication that a replacement is on the way.
2025 was a great year for small OLED TVs, with the likes of the Panasonic Z90B, Samsung S90F and LG C5 all scoring highly. Sony could make things simple by following in those models' footsteps and offering a Bravia 8 replacement in a wider range of sizes, but only time will tell which route the company will take.
A quiet year for audio?
Much as with its TVs, Sony's release pattern when it comes to audio products doesn't tend to follow an annual release schedule.
The company refreshed its soundbar lineup in 2024 with the Bravia Theatre Bar 9, Theatre Bar 8 and Theatre Quad system, and it added the Bravia System 6 and Bar 6 this year.
That feels like a fairly cohesive lineup, with options at all different prices and use cases, so we're unsure what Sony could bring to the table in terms of audio.
A fresh take on the Theatre Bar 8 would be nice, as we felt that it underperformed compared with Sony's usual soundbar standards. However, considering how new that soundbar is in the grand scheme of things, we don't expect to see a successor launch quite yet.
If anything, we could expect a refreshed HT-S2000 soundbar, which is the company's budget Dolby Atmos offering and a soundbar we thoroughly approved of during our testing.
On the flip side, an even higher-end offering that sits above the Theatre Bar 9 (a possible KEF XIO competitor, perhaps) would also be appreciated by serious home cinema enthusiasts.
What we'd really like to see, however, is a new home cinema amplifier. The TA-AN1000 AVR has won Product of the Year at the What Hi-Fi? Awards for three years running, yet it remains the solitary offering in Sony's lineup here in the UK.
We'd love to see the range fleshed out with a higher-performance model, as we can only dream of what an even-better version of the TA-AN1000 could look like.
And what about projectors?
Much like the audio lineup, we don't necessarily have any big expectations regarding Sony's projector lineup – but we’re open to a pleasant surprise. The brand updated its lineup alongside its Bravia TV relaunch in 2024 with the Bravia Projector 8 and Bravia Projector 9, and these models were joined by the Bravia Projector 7 this year.
The only model in the range not be updated is the serial Award-winning VPL-XW5000ES, which is Sony's “entry-level” 4K laser projector. It launched back in 2022 alongside the VPL-XW7000ES, which has since been replaced.
We are still huge fans of the XW5000ES, but we'd be more than happy for an upgraded version to make an appearance this year. Sony's XR Processor has proven to be a hit in the Bravia Projector 7, 8 and 9, so a new model – perhaps a Bravia Projector 5 – is at the top of our wishlist for 2026.
MORE:
Read our full Sony Bravia 8 II OLED TV review
As well as our Sony Bravia Projector 7 review
And check out our picks for the best AV receivers
