CES 2019: Sony launches its first 98-inch 8K Android TV with AirPlay 2 support

Sony has announced two new giant-sized 8K LCD TVs at CES 2019 and it isn’t even surprising anymore that they will both be supporting AirPlay 2 right out-of-the-box. That’s right, after Samsung and LG, now Sony smart TVs will also let iPad and iPhone users wirelessly stream videos, photos, music and podcasts from their devices directly on to their smart TVs. Sony is also adding HomeKit support to its new smart TVs like LG. Samsung is the only one in the group here that is not on-board with HomeKit (yet) but then it is bringing iTunes support to its smart TVs, so we are all even now. 

Coming to the smart TVs now, the two giant-sized 8K LCD TVs announced by Sony at CES 2019, fall under its Z9G series. The two sizes are 85-inch and 98-inch respectively. Under the hood, both the models pack Sony’s Picture Processor X1 Ultimate that “that can intelligently detect and analyze each object in the picture, resulting in exceptional detail and contrast for a more realistic picture that represents the creators’ intent.” 

These TVs are also capable of upscaling 4K content to 8K which is not as ambitious as what Samsung is claiming with its own 98-inch 8K QLED TV also launched at CES 2019. Samsung says its smart TV can upscale any content whether you’re watching it through “a streaming service, set-top box, HDMI, USB or even mobile screen mirroring,” to near 8K through artificial intelligence. 

Regardless, Sony’s new 8K TVs have their own virtue. “Completely new dedicated 8K technologies have been developed for the Z9G series, including a Backlight Master Drive feature with full-array local dimming and 8K X-tended Dynamic Range PRO,” Sony says. 

In terms of audio out, the Z9G series boasts of front-facing speakers that have apparently been calibrated to produce the same sound effect as the Sony’s Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology found inside its OLED line-up. 

While we are on OLED, Sony also announced what you can call standard-sized 4K OLED TVs at CES 2019. Sony’s A9G series consist of 55, 65 and 77-inch TVs that have apparently been “designed so that it (they) appears to be floating on the wall, leaving only the brilliance of its picture.” 

For Real-Time updates on CES 2019 check out our live blog, here.