Sony will remove TV Guide logos and previews for select BRAVIA TVs in May 2026
Sony is set to disable several key features in the TV Guide and related menus on its premium BRAVIA smart TVs starting in late May 2026, affecting owners of select 2023 through 2025 models who use over-the-air antennas or set-top boxes. According to Sony's official support pages, these changes will eliminate channel logos, program thumbnails, and detailed previews for antenna channels, while also removing the dedicated Set Top Box menu in favor of a simpler control interface.
The impacted models include high-end lines such as the 2025 BRAVIA 8 II (XR80M2) and BRAVIA 5 (XR50), 2024's BRAVIA 9 (XR90), BRAVIA 8 (XR80), and BRAVIA 7 (XR70), and 2023's A95L series. For antenna TV (ATSC) users, program information may vanish entirely on some channels, with guides limited to recently watched ones and no visual aids like logos or images. Ars Technica reports that these cuts extend to 2023 and 2024 models, hitting users reliant on free OTA broadcasts from networks like ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC.
Sony has notified customers directly via support articles, apologizing for the inconvenience but providing no detailed explanation for the move. As reported by Cord Cutters News and echoed on Slashdot, this appears to be part of a broader industry trend where manufacturers phase out support for older hardware to prioritize newer products. Similar reductions have appeared in European regions, including the UK and Germany, where channel browsing menus for external devices are also being simplified or removed.
This matters for cord-cutters who depend on built-in TV Guides for seamless navigation of free local broadcasts, potentially forcing them to upgrade TVs sooner or adopt external devices like streaming boxes or dedicated tuners. While core channel reception remains unaffected, the loss of user-friendly visuals could frustrate daily viewing, especially for those without cable or satellite subscriptions.
Looking ahead, affected owners should check Sony's support site for model-specific details and workarounds, such as using provider apps or third-party antennas. The changes underscore growing tensions in the smart TV market, where premium pricing coexists with shrinking feature sets over time, prompting consumers to weigh longevity when buying electronics.