Amazon says that its video streaming app will be removed from non-Android Sony TVs from 2010 to 2013. The company is offering a discount on Fire TV devices as a remedy.
Non-Android Sony TVs
Before Google’s Android, Sony TVs were running a linux-based platform that offered access to a handful of apps. As the company switched its attention to Android, this platform started losing apps and features.
The YouTube app has already been removed and as of September 26, 2019, the Amazon Prime Video app will stop working. Amazon explains that it is "upgrading its service" but neglects to comment on the technical details.
- "Amazon will no longer be supporting the Prime Video app on your Sony Smart TV as of September 26, 2019. We are continually upgrading our service and this occasionally means we can no longer support certain device models," Amazon wrote in an email to customers.
Affected models are the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 non-Android Sony TVs. We have included a full model list below. Sony Android TVs will continue to have access to Amazon’s streaming service.
Disappearing apps
This is just the latest example of a streaming app ceasing to function on a Smart TV a few years after purchase. It is not limited to Sony TVs. These Smart TVs have often been designed around an inflexible and underpowered hardware platform and the operating system does not receive software updates.
For example, when a streaming service phases out Flash and transitions to a HTML5 video player, these TVs will no longer be capable of supporting it due to ageing software.
As a remedy to those affected Amazon is offering a $25 discount towards select Fire TV devices.
- "To help you to continue streaming your favorite content, we’re offering you a $25 credit towards select Fire TV devices which will allow you to continue to stream your favorites from Prime Video."
Affected Sony TVs
| 2010 BRAVIA:
BX30 and BX40 series
EX30, EX4B, EX40, EX50, EX60, EX70 and EX71 series
NX50, NX70, NX71, NX80 and NX81 series
HX70, HX80, HX90, LX90 and PX30 series
2011 BRAVIA:
EX32, EX42, EX52 and EX72 series
HX72, HX82, HX92, NX72, and CX52 series
2012 BRAVIA:
EX55 and EX65 series
HX75, HX85, HX95 and X90 series
2013 BRAVIA:
W60*A, W65*A, W68*A, W80*A, W85*A and W90*A series
X85*A, X90*A, and S99*A series |
