What They Say
Sky TV is reported by the Financial Times to be planning to launch its own range of smartTVs. That would be in line with the move by its parent company, Comcast, to start to supply such systems. (Comcast confirms interest in putting X1 on smart TVs).
Sky UK has also been reported to be considering a ‘software only’ version of its Sky Q platform. The firm provides a Sky Q IP hardware box in Germany to obviate the need for a satellite receiver and needs at least 6Mbps of service to operate. (Sky Deutschland launches Sky Q over IP) The UK’s Daily Express newspaper reported last month that Sky UK is trialling the Sky Q IP box with selected customers. It reported today that the new box which is being called the XiOne has been developed for use in the US but also in Europe. At the moment, the box is used in Italy and Germany, but without taking advantage of hardware features such as UltraHD, HDR and Dolby Vision support. It’s not clear if the box will support those features if and when it is rolled out in the UK.
Sky UK is planning an event in early October under the tagline ‘Something magical is coming’.
What We Think
I confess, I forgot when I was writing the Comcast story that the firm had bought Sky back in 2018. (Comcast Becomes Major Shareholder in Sky as Fox Decides to Sell) The logic for Sky is the same as for Comcast. We seem to have clearly come to the inflection point for SmartTVs. (BR)
