Over in the UK, Sky TV is streamlining its efforts to serve up TV channels away from the TV by launching the new Sky Go service July 6th. It combines and replaces the existing online Sky Player and Sky Mobile TV services into one offering that's free for subscribers, and in August will open up to those who don't have Sky TV service for between £15-£40 per month. The new package also means changes for Sky Player on the Xbox 360 (which has its own changes in store) and Fetch TV, which will now just be "Sky" and will no longer count as one of the two allowed Sky Go device activations. Check the link below for the full list of channels which includes all the Sky Sports feeds, MTV, Disney and even ESPN without requiring the WatchESPN app we have in the US. There are a few drawbacks however, as it drops support for Windows Media Center and so far only iOS devices (running version 4.0 or higher - no first gen iPod Touches allowed) are on the approved list, but the official FAQ mentions an Android version on the way this year.
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Sky TV Goes Online and Mobile for all 10 million customers
Sky Go brings together online and mobile TV in a single, simple service,
free to Sky TV customers
From next month, all Sky TV customers will have the opportunity to watch Sky channels and programmes on PCs, laptops, mobiles and tablets at no extra charge.
Available free to all Sky TV customers, Sky Go will provide flexible access to Sky content across multiple devices including the iPhone, iPad, PC and Mac. Launching on July 6 th , it brings together two existing services: Sky Player, Sky's online TV service, and Sky Mobile TV, the UK's largest mobile TV service, with these services rebranded as Sky Go . Offering even more value from the Sky subscription, this will allow customers to watch live linear channels in line with their subscription while on the move in the UK and Ireland.
Sky Go will give customers yet more control and choice over how, when and where they enjoy Sky. Each Sky home will be entitled to register up to two devices, through which they can enjoy access to live channels and selected on-demand content.
On mobile and tablet devices, customers will be able to access all five Sky Sports channels, ESPN and Sky News, with further channels to be added over time.
On laptops and computers customers will be able to access more than 30 live channels, including all five Sky Sports channels, Sky Movies, Sky News, Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Arts, MTV, Disney, G.O.LD, Nickelodeon, NatGeo, History, Eden and ESPN, supported by an extensive library of on-demand content.
Sky Go will be available from August to non-Sky TV customers, with monthly subscriptions priced from £15-£40. Sky will also remain available on Xbox and Fetch TV, but will rebrand simply as Sky (currently Sky Player).
In time, Sky Go will be supported by Sky's acquisition earlier this year of The Cloud, a leading public Wi-Fi network that offers wireless access in over 4,500 public locations - across coffee shops, hotels, restaurants, public transport hubs and other public spaces. Out-of-home Wi-Fi will support a higher quality experience for online services including Sky Go and other high bandwidth services and applications. Further details on the roll out of the network, including timings, will be announced in due course.
Stephen van Rooyen, Deputy MD of Sky's Customer Group, comments :
"The explosion of smartphones and tablets demonstrates the increasing consumer demand for accessing entertainment and communicating on the move. We have already responded to this by offering a range of services, including live TV, across many new innovative platforms and devices, like laptops and iPhones.
"Clearly the consumer appetite is there, and it's growing. In responding to that, and to create even more value, choice and flexibility for our customers, we are now going to offer online and mobile access to Sky content at no extra charge. The future support of a nationwide Wi-Fi network will help us supercharge that experience further still."
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