Owners of select Sony Android TVs in the US can now use only their voice to turn their device on or off, switch channels, change volume and manage playback thanks to the recently unveiled integration between the manufacturer and Amazon.
Google Home is no longer the only smart speaker in the marketplace capable of supporting voice control of TVs (via Chromecast) following the latest announcement to come out of Sony HQ.
Sony has revealed that it has added Alexa support to certain models from its TV range.
In new section of FAQ on the manufacturer’s website, Sony outline how Amazon's voice assistant will work with Sony TVs. It says the feature now allows users to “use their voice to turn your Android TV on or off, change channels, control volume, and more." The partnership also means playing, pausing, stopping, rewinding and fast-forwarding content is possible.
Sony also claims it can support owners of Alexa devices with multiple TVs around the home, allowing users to control them individually by commands referring to “Kitchen TV” or “TVG 1,” for example.
But if you own a Sony TV dating further back than 2016 you can’t join in the fun by downloading the Amazon Alexa app just yet. Only certain TVs manufactured in 2016 and 2016 will support Alexa control as yet – including Sony’s A1 line of OLED HDR TVs incorporating an acoustic surface sound system.
The company has published a list of Sony TVs compatible with Amazon Alexa to help users see if their TV is compatible.
Watch this space to see if later down the line upcoming smart home speaker offerings from Apple and Samsung follow suit to keep up with the leaders in the marketplace.