A Glass act
Sky goes streaming in style with the launch of its own TVs
IT’S been pretty obvious for a while that the future of TV – perhaps even its present by this point – is streaming.
From Ted Lasso to Squid Game, the real event TV that gets everybody talking is much more likely to be found on Netflix, Disney or Apple TV+ than on any broadcast network. And the direction of travel is only going to be one way.
To stream TV you obviously need three things – a fast enough internet connection, a service providing the content, and a TV capable of displaying it.
Sky knows this. It already does two of those things. But now it’s completing the picture by doing the third as well – it’s making its own TV.
Sky Glass is a new product from the broadcaster to add to its already phenomenally popular TV service and its broadband offerings. It’s a very cool-looking TV with Sky built in.
What’s new is the way the TV services are delivered – Sky Glass doesn’t use satellites, it streams from the internet.
Of course, Sky already does this via its sub-brand Now. But Glass is different.
You might say that it’s just a Sky-branded smart TV. But you have to give Sky some credit for not going down that road.
It could have just partnered up with Samsung and banged out a smart TV with its apps on it. Glass is more than that.
The TV itself has been built in partnership with design agency Map Project Office, and it’s a lovely looking thing.
It comes in five colours – black, white, blue, green and pink, all with matching remotes – and
reduces clutter with a single cord and plug.
Technically it’s a great TV, too. It comes in three sizes – 43in, 55in, and 65in, and all are 4K Ultra HD Quantum Dot screens.
The 10-bit HDR screen supports HLG, HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and will adapt to show whatever you are watching in its best light.
The sound is not an afterthought, either – six speakers deliver Dolby Atmos audio and a built-in subwoofer means you won’t need a separate soundbar.
All this would be pointless if the experience of using the device didn’t match up – but the simplified remote combined with voice control will make finding the shows you want simple enough.
Of course, all the Sky channels are built in, but you can install apps to bring almost any thirdparty service to your screen including BBC iPlayer, Netflix,
Disney+, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and a lot more.
The only notable absentee at the moment appears to be Apple TV+.
Another innovation comes with the way you buy these TVs.
You can, of course, shell out up front, but you can also buy them on an interest-free plan as you might a mobile phone.
The largest TV costs £1,049 if you pay the full price. But it actually works out cheaper if you go with a plan – £1,028 in payments of £42 for 24 months with a £20 up-front cost. It’s even less if you go with a 48-month plan (£1,018).
The small Sky Glass TV will cost £649, but is again cheaper if you buy on a plan.
Subscription to Sky’s Ultimate TV package costs a further £26-a-month, with Sports (£25-a-month), and Cinema (£11-a-month) as optional extras.
Their price is more in line with the cheaper offerings from Now than with Sky’s satellite service.
You can get your hands on these TVs from October 18 in the UK – for a change we’re getting something first.
Sky also says it’s planning to add an optional 4K camera into the mix next year to bring new services like fitness and video calling.