[
    {
        "role": "user",
        "content": "Before%20upgrading%20from%20Alexa%20to%20Alexa%2B%2C%20my%20Alexa%20could%20change%20the%20channels%20on%20my%20Sony%20Bravia%20tv.%20Now%20it%20can%20turn%20the%20tv%20on%20and%20off%20but%20will%20not%20change%20channels.%20what%27s%20changed%20besides%20going%20from%20Alexa%20to%20Alexa%2B%3F"
    },
    {
        "role": "assistant",
        "content": "Here\u2019s what I found about what *may have changed* \u2014 and what you can try \u2014 when your Sony Bravia TV stops changing channels via Alexa after moving from \u201cAlexa\u201d to \u201cAlexa+.\u201d I didn\u2019t find anything that makes it clear Alexa+ explicitly removed channel control, but there are clues that settings, compatibility, or skills likely got affected.\n\n---\n\n## What Sony Says: Voice Control Features\n\nAccording to Sony\u2019s official support page, voice control with Alexa on compatible Bravia TVs *should* allow you to:\n- Turn the TV on/off  \n- Change channels (by number or by name)  \n- Control volume, input, playback, launch apps, navigate menus, etc. ([sony.com](https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/televisions-projectors-lcd-tvs-android-/xr-75x93cl/articles/S1F1709?utm_source=openai))\n\nThis suggests that your previous ability to change channels was part of the intended functionality, and that functionality *still* should be there \u2014 in principle.\n\n---\n\n## What Could Have Changed With the Upgrade to Alexa+\n\n### 1. Skill or TV \u201cAlexa Skill\u201d Mislinking\n\n- Sony TV models use something called **\u201cTV Control with Smart Speakers\u201d** or **\u201cTV Control Setup with Amazon Alexa\u201d** apps/skills. ([sony.co.uk](https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/articles/00204424?utm_source=openai))  \n- If that skill got disconnected, is using the wrong account, or if the TV was signed out/incorrectly, some commands (like channel change) might stop being recognized. Turning on/off might still work because that\u2019s a more basic Alexa command.\n\n### 2. Permissions / Mode / Feature Support\n\n- Not all features are supported in *all countries* or by *all TV firmware versions*. Sony notes that in some cases voice commands stop working or are limited because certain configurations are changed or updates break compatibility. ([sony.com](https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/televisions-projectors-lcd-tvs-android-/xr-75x93cl/articles/S1F1709?utm_source=openai))  \n- It\u2019s possible that with the upgrade to Alexa+ (which seems to change some processing, cloud-vs-local behavior, etc.), the TV\u2019s firmware or Alexa skill might require explicit re-authorization or updated firmware. If a TV OS update or policy change happened, the channel-changing commands might now require updated skill/firmware.\n\n### 3. Alexa+ Being a New Layer with Different Behavior\n\n- Alexa+ is positioned as a more AI-powered or \u201cricher\u201d assistant experience. It improves how Alexa *responds*, adds styles and personalization, etc. It *does not*, as far as official documentation indicates, claim to remove core smart-home/device-control functions like channel changing. ([business-standard.com](https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/amazon-s-ai-powered-alexa-can-now-switch-personalities-style-what-s-new-126022600419_1.html?utm_source=openai))  \n- However, with richer natural language understanding, there may now be more processing / cloud involvement. That might introduce latency or stricter matching of commands (so if your phrasing is slightly off, it might not work). Or perhaps channel-change commands weren\u2019t properly \u201ctrained\u201d into Alexa+ for all TV models.\n\n### 4. Firmware or TV OS Changes\n\n- Sony support notes patches, OS version/firmware, and country/region settings are important. If your TV got a software update around the time you transitioned from Alexa to Alexa+, that might have changed or reset some functions. ([reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/bravia/comments/1khwy2i?utm_source=openai))  \n- Also, if your TV\u2019s Google account linking (a requirement for some features) changed, or internal permissions (like network authorization) changed, that could also block some voice commands. ([sony.com](https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/televisions-projectors-lcd-tvs-android-/xr-75x93cl/articles/S1F1709?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n## What Sony Support Says Specifically\n\nFrom a recent Sony article titled *\u201cCan\u2019t change the TV channel with the Amazon Alexa device\u201d* (updated Jan 16, 2026):\n\n- They remind users that not all voice control \u201cskills\u201d are compatible with every TV. If the skill isn\u2019t compatible, channel change commands may not work. ([sony.com](https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00197643?utm_source=openai))  \n- Sony suggests checking whether the voice commands are being recognized properly (using the Alexa app to see how the command is interpreted). If Alexa hears something different than you expect, channel names or numbers, that can block operation. ([sony.com](https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00197643?utm_source=openai))  \n\nAlso, in *\u201cThe voice-enabled Amazon Alexa device suddenly no longer controls my TV\u201d* (Oct 2, 2026 article):\n\n- Sony recommends verifying whether the TV is using the correct Alexa linkage (TV Control with Smart Speakers or the other app), and that the Amazon Alexa mobile app is still linked properly. If the TV got unlinked or the account got signed out, many control functions stop working. ([sony.co.uk](https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/articles/00204424?utm_source=openai))  \n\n---\n\n## What You Can Do to Fix It\n\nHere are some steps to help restore channel-changing functionality:\n\n1. **Check the skill/app linkage**  \n   - On your TV, see which Alexa control mode it uses: \u201cTV Control with Smart Speakers\u201d OR \u201cTV Control Setup with Amazon Alexa\u201d.  \n   - Go into your Alexa app on your phone, check in *Skills & Games* (or *TV Skills*) to ensure the correct Sony TV skill is enabled and signed in with the proper accounts.  \n\n2. **Update firmware/OS**  \n   - Check for any pending software updates for your Sony Bravia. Applying updates can sometimes restore broken functionality.  \n\n3. **Re-sign or relink accounts**  \n   - Sign out / unlink the TV from Alexa; then sign back in. Same Google/Amazon accounts may matter.  \n\n4. **Test different command phrasings**  \n   - Try commands like \u201cAlexa, change channel to [channel number] on [TV name]\u201d or \u201cAlexa, switch to [channel name] on [TV name]\u201d. If those used to work and don\u2019t now, that\u2019s further evidence the skill support changed or is misconfigured.\n\n5. **Country / model compatibility check**  \n   - Confirm that your specific TV model supports the full suite of Alexa commands, especially channel change, in your country. Sony\u2019s support page sometimes lists different feature sets for different regions.  \n\n6. **Contact Sony / Amazon support**  \n   - If it still doesn\u2019t work, reach out to Sony\u2019s support with your TV model and firmware version and ask if Alexa+ has impacted compatibility.  \n   - Also ask Amazon if the Alex+ upgrade on their end has imposed any changes for TV control (especially channel control) for your TV model.\n\n---\n\nIf you tell me your TV model (e.g. X85J, A80K, etc.), your region (country), and exactly how you're saying the commands (\u201cAlexa, change to channel 5\u201d or \u201cAlexa, watch ESPN\u201d), I can help you narrow down whether it\u2019s a compatibility issue vs a setup issue."
    }
]