Best Sony Smart TV Apps: How to Install Through the Store and Third Parties

Many modern TVs now not only broadcast movies and programs, but also serve as a full-fledged multimedia center. This is due to the advent of Smart TV technology. Sony, occupying a leading position in the production of television devices, also did not stay away from global trends. And today, the Japanese developer equips almost all TVs with the Smart option. The capabilities of a smart TV predetermine the installed applications. Therefore, in the review we will talk about where to find, how to install or remove the program on Sony Smart TV; give a description of the most popular applications; and answer common user questions.

Finding apps on Sony Smart TV

Finding and viewing apps installed on your TV is easy. For this you need:

1. Turn on the TV; Press the “HOME” button on the remote control.
2. Select Apps or All Apps.
3. Or go to the “Downloaded / system applications” sections.

After completing these simple steps, the entire list of installed applications will be displayed on the screen.

Popular Applications

Most of the Google Play Store apps are available to users of Sony smart TVs based on the Android TV operating system. But the most popular ones still stand out from the general list. This list is headed by online cinemas: IVI, Netflix, Megogo, Kinopoisk.

Applications are filled with only high-quality diverse and interesting content. Suitable for the whole family. And they will allow you to watch movie premieres at home. The next application is “Youtube”. It is also interesting that one account can be used on different devices. Thus, recommendations and preferences are always available, and there are no additional fees for viewing. One of the housewives’ favorite apps is Smart Chef. This is a kind of video and text instructor for cooking various dishes. The assortment is impressive, the recipes are updated monthly.
“Sportbox” is another hobby app. Football matches and the main sporting events of the day are broadcast here, as well as much more. Service is provided free of charge. Updated automatically. Not to do in this list and without messengers. One of the most downloaded apps was Skype. The program installed on the TV also allows you to maintain relationships with loved ones even at a distance, hold conferences, and send text messages.

Instructions for installing third-party applications on Sony Smart TV

All Sony smart TVs are divided into 2 subspecies: the first ones with the Android TV operating system installed, the second ones without the OS. We will consider each case separately.

Note! It is not difficult to determine whether the operating system is installed on the TV. To do this, when you turn on the TV, pay attention to the screen. The OS-based device will display a splash screen labeled “Android”. On other devices, only the Sony branded splash screen will pop up.

Step-by-step instructions for installing applications for Sony Bravia Smart TV based on Android TV

The easiest and most reliable way to install the application is to use the “Google Play Store” service. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

• expand the “Main Menu” – press “HOME” on the remote control;
• Scroll through the menu, find and expand the “Applications” section;
• Go to “Store Google Play https://play.google.com/store?gl=UA&utm_source=emea_Med&utm_medium=hasem&utm_content=Oct2020&utm_campaign=Evergreen&pcampaignid=MKT-EDR-emea-ua-1001280-Med-hasem-py-Evergreen-Oct2020- Text_Search_BKWS%7CONSEM_kwid_43700007031591577&gclid=CjwKCAjwmeiIBhA6EiwA-uaeFfABdo8W3wglHuI7em-B2NU4GPlzKXHFvJrzK6EdpCRp7euaJDnHgxoCbAYQAvD_BwE”.
• If you have not created an account on Google Play before, register by entering the requested data on the site https://accounts.google.com/signup. Important! To work with the Google Play Store on TV, an account previously created, for example, on a tablet, is also suitable. In this case, all paid applications that have already been paid for when installed on gadgets are now available for free download on the TV.
• We enter the store. Apps available for download on TV will be displayed here.
• We find the right program.
• Download and install it according to the instructions on the screen.

Note! Due to the huge number of programs in the Google Play store, not all will be displayed on the main page. If the desired application is not found, it is recommended to use the “Search” by keywords.

An internet connection is required to download applications. Not all apps that are developed for Android devices will also be available on Android TV. The decision to develop applications adapted for TV remains with the developer.

How to Install Third-Party TV Apps Without Android TV OS

Unfortunately, in this case, only existing applications are available to users. You cannot install a third-party program on your Sony Smart TV without Android TV OS.

Instructions for uninstalling the application

Note! System apps are not available for uninstallation.

Applications that were installed by the user on their own are deleted as follows:

• Expand the main menu by pressing the “HOME” button on the remote control.
• Go to the “Applications” section.
• We find the Google Play Store, and log into our account.
• In the service menu we find and expand “My applications”.
• From the list of all installed applications, select the one you want to remove.
• Click on the corresponding button “DELETE / UNINSTALL”.
• Confirm the action by clicking on “OK”.

The application removal process is complete.

Answers to questions about Sony Bravia TVs

Can I add new apps to my Bravia Smart TV?

This option is not available for all Bravia models. To find out if this TV can install a third-party application, it is recommended to refer to the supplied user manual; or go to the official Sony website https://store.sony.ru/tv_video/tv/smart_tv/ and make the appropriate request.

Does my TV support Apple TV apps?

Some Sony TVs are indeed compatible with Apple TV. These include the following models based on the Android TV OS:

• AF/ZF9 series 2018;
• AG9, XG85, ZG9, XG87 2019;
• XH 80 / 81 / 85 / 90 / 91 / 92 / 95 series, as well as A8 / 9 2020.

You can subscribe on the official Apple website, apple gadgets or directly on the Sony TV.

How to close apps on Sony Android TV (Android 7.0 Nougat)?

A large number of applications open on the TV can lead to insufficient system memory and system freezes. In this case, it is recommended to close applications that are running in the background. Restart TV. Close applications like this:

• On the remote control, press and hold the “HOME” button.
• Next, select the desired application using the “right” and “left” buttons.
• Select the “Close / X” icon.
• Confirm the action by clicking the “OK” button.

What apps are available on Sony Android TVs?

As already mentioned in the review itself, users of Sony smart TVs with the Android TV operating system have access to all applications that are displayed in the Google Play Store opened on TV. If the desired application is not displayed when starting the service, you can try to find it through the search feed by entering keywords or the exact name of the program. It will also be useful for many to use an existing Google account by entering the corresponding ID code on the TV screen. Using the old account, the user can download and install on the TV, now absolutely free, paid application. Provided that it has already been bought and installed on another gadget linked to the profile. However, we also pay attention to the fact that not all applications developed for devices are adapted for Sony Smart TV based on the Android TV operating system. Installing APK applications from a USB flash drive to a Sony Bravia s Android TV – video instruction: https://youtu.be/UY6wiKZ6HU8

Streaming app issues: Learn how to stop the app on your Sony Android TV

Of course, the TV can also have problems with the streaming application. The software freezes. In this case, you can exit the application, and reopening it to see that it invariably hangs. Or, on the contrary, exit the program, but it will continue to work in the background. A full restart of the application will help solve the problem. Or using the stop option to reset the program. Stops like this:

• Holds the home button on the remote control for a few seconds. The application window will be displayed.
• Here in the proposed list you need to find the application that we stop.
• Let’s go to it.
• Next, press the “OK” button on the remote control.
• We are waiting for the dialog box to appear.
• Next, we find the “Information” section, go to it, click the “OK” button.
• In this section we find the option “Stop”.
• Confirm your actions by double-clicking on “OK”.

The application has stopped. Then you can re-open the application and check the quality of its work. For more than half a century, the Japanese company Sony has been one of the leading manufacturers of TV sets in the world market. Modern models also do not cease to delight users with excellent picture and sound quality. The software keeps pace with modern technologies. As far as applications are concerned, the primary responsibility lies with the software developers. And we talked about how to add or remove applications in the review. As you can see, the simple and convenient interface of Sony TVs allows you to cope with the tasks quickly and easily. We hope that using the TV and all its features will leave only pleasant impressions.