Sony blocking users from Android TV Kodi app [Update: getting resolved]

Update 10/01/2019:  Sony has clarified that Kodi getting blocked was an accident and it will start working again once the company rolls out an update.

The electronics manufacturer stated that it was incorrectly classifying Kodi as a kernel object, according to Android Police.

If you’re one of the lucky people who use Kodi on an Android TV, there are fixes available on the Kodi forms if you don’t want to wait for the update.

Sony is now blocking the Kodi Android TV app from working on some of its newer television sets, according to Android Police.

Kodi is an open source platform that allows users to play local and remote content easily. The platform has been available for 15 years, but some people use it as a way to pirate television shows and movies illegally, which might be why the platform is getting a bad wrap from Sony.

The Japanese entertainment giant owns a music label and a movie studio, so it has more to lose from piracy than some of its tech competitors.

Sony hasn’t shared any information regarding this change, but the Kodi Twitter account brought the issue to light.

Well done @SonyElectronics for actively preventing users from installing Kodi on their newer Android TVs. How grown up of you. Even their firmware in the TVs is broken. Guess we will suggest users to just buy something else that does work.

— Kodi (@KodiTV) January 4, 2019

This is likely an annoyance for Kodi users with a Sony television, but there are ways around the block.

For example, users can buy an Android TV box or some other form of a set-top box or game console that supports the media player.

According to a few Sony Android TV owners, Sony has blocked users from running or installing the app’s package ID.

If they have the know-how, users can recompile the app with a different ID to make it work, according to Android Police. 

Source: Android Police