KDL-55W905A: YouTube application hangs on start?

[jr0000]

Hi all, so today the built-in YouTube application on my faithful BRAVIA KDL-55W905A just stopped working. When you launch it, there's the usual YT logo in the middle of screen, but instead of disappearing after a second or two, it just hangs there indefinitely.

Just to be clear:

• It's just the YT app that misbehaves, as I can use all the other functions with no issues. I can use the "Return" or "Home" buttons on the remote to get out of that locked YT logo, and then I can proceed and do whatever else I want.
• I've been using the YT app here for years on a daily basis, and it just stopped working today, 19-Nov-2021. No changes were made from my end, so must be some weird app update?

I have so far tried this (NO luck though, i.e. the app is still hanging on the startup logo in the end):

1. Tried starting the YT app several times (duh...)
2. Waited on that hung YT logo for an unreasonable time (like 30 minutes maybe?)
3. Turned the TV on and off again via the remote
4. Power cycled the TV
5. Verified the software is the latest (PKG4.600EUA)
6. Factory reset the TV and set it all up from the scratch, including the WiFi connection. Now, this one is interesting, as it differs from all the above attempts. The very first YT application launch after the factory reset was actually successful! The app started and displayed some videos as it would usually do. It lost the account info during reset, obviously, so first thing first - I logged in, then exited the app, and when I next re-entered it a minute later - here we go again! Just hanging on the startup logo. So in the end the factory reset still has not solved the problem.

Additionally, I have to say, WiFi connection is stable and not an issue. When I intentionally turn internet access off, attempting to start the YT app brings up the proper usual message informing me of its inability to get on the internet, and you can't proceed. Only if WiFi and internet are on, you get further - to hang on that startup logo that is. Not further.

Any clues, anyone?

[rooobb]

you may try this tip for Asia pacific https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/support/articles/00197968

It could also be the case that Google has decided to stop supporting 2013's sony platforms has they did for older ones in 2016...

[jr0000]

@rooobbthanks for your suggestion! I looked at the link you supplied and successfully cleared the cookies via the internet browser. However, this did not help at all, I am still seeing the frozen YT logo on app start, unfortunately.

Any idea how to find out whether this is something Google might have done?

[jr0000]

Here's some additional information: I have done a factory reset once again, and this time around I did NOT log in my YT account. Hence I still have the app loading nicely, I can play videos, all that. In addition, I could have a look at the YT app's version info, and this is how it looks:

Version: web_20211117_10_RC00
Device: TV,Sony/KDL-55W905A, Opera (12.11.9.80), Linux armv7l
Client: TVHTML5, 7.20211117.10.00

Judging by the version number, the YT app was updated the day before yesterday. Too precise to be a coincidence )) I don't remember precisely, but it may well be that I did not try to use YT on my TV yesterday, so I stumbled upon this issue only today, where in fact it has been gifted to me by Sony (?) with this cool app update. Now, I did, of course, submit a service request to Sony even before this community post, I am just wondering now when can a fix be expected... As without logging in I am forced to see all those ads, and no, that's not what anyone wants to do :]

[jr0000]

And so today Sony apparently realized the *****up and rolled back the YT app version to this one:

web_20211116_10_RC00

And just like that - the problem is magically solved :]