Sony’s European projectors business is back in the game, with the company now allowed to resume sales of its home and professional projector products in the region.
The company caused a bit of a stir back in March when it suddenly announced that it would cease all projector sales in the European Union and the U.K. due to “legal restrictions” imposed on it by European officials.
The restrictions had something to do with sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, which meant that it was “prohibited to sell, supply, transfer or export, directly or indirectly, dual-use goods and technology” in any European country. The ban was reportedly linked to one of Sony’s suppliers, a Chinese company that also exports equipment to Russia. That company was slapped with sanctions, meaning Sony could no longer source vital projector components from it, forcing it to shut down its European projector business.
But this week, Sony revealed that it now has permission to resume selling projectors for home and professional use in the EU, and also the U.K., which adheres to the European rules despite having exited Europe’s political body. The company said the issue has now been “resolved”, and that its projectors will perform to the same specifications as before.
Sony didn’t reveal what solution it managed to come up with, but the reassurances that its projectors will work just as good as before suggests that it has likely managed to find an alternative supplier for whatever components it couldn’t get before.
To celebrate the lifting of the restrictions, Sony is launching a new projector model, called the Bravia Projector 7, which carries the official model number VPL-XW5100ES. The Bravia 7 Projector was already on sale in other parts of the world, replacing the older XW5000ES model. It’s a mid-range consumer projector that delivers 2,200 lumens of brightness via its laser light, with support for 4K resolution at 120Hz, making it ideal for console and PC gamers.
Rik Willemse, Head of Professional Displays and Solutions at Sony Europe, said the company is “delighted” to be able to resume sales of its projectors across Europe. He added that the Bravia Projector 7 will go on sale in shops “later this summer”, sitting below the Bravia Projector 8 and Bravia Projector 9 models.
"These products have remained available in other regions, and we’re now focused on meeting European customer demand as swiftly as possible,” Willemse said. “We’re glad to be back and appreciate the continued understanding and support of our partners and customers."
