Sony has today announced a new partnership with YouView, bringing the internet television service to its Android-powered TV line-up.
This means that Sony is the first television manufacturer worldwide to offer YouView built into a TV.
Mark Whiteman, Sony’s Technical Marketing and Product Planning Manager for Home Entertainment and Sound, revealed to TrustedReviews that this is an exclusive partnership.
Whiteman did, however, decline to reveal how long the exclusivity deal would last for, only confirming it was ‘exclusive for the moment.’
“We’re working in partnership with YouView for the UK. It’s great news for ourselves and, of course, YouView,” he explained.
Speaking at Sony’s Weybridge HQ, Whieman confirmed that YouView would be included as an app for the Bravia TVs, and would launch as the TV turns on.
“You’ll have the ability to have a seven day scrollback, you’ll have the search, you’ll have the discover option. You’ll also have the guide, and the YouView mini-guide.”
He added: “And of course you’ll have catch up, and for us that means a full sweep now.”
Whiteman was referring to the fact that YouView will now be able to offer all of the core UK on-demand TV services, namely BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4 On Demand, and Demand 5.
The service will be available on ‘all of [Sony’s] Android TV sets in 2015’ – that means all 4K models, and most of the full HD models.
Just three of Sony’s televisions launching this year will miss out on YouView, specifically the R4C, the R5C, and the W70C.
Related: Best TVs 2015: Best HD, 3D, and 4K TVs
YouView launched back in 2012 as part of an effort from then-Chairman Alan Sugar to supplant the Freeview TV service.
Both BT and TalkTalk have already partnered with YouView, and currently provide own-branded YouView set-top boxes. This will no longer be necessary with Android-powered Sony TVs.
