sky.com
Sky is the UK's biggest Pay-TV service provider and it has a presence in major European countries such as Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, and Italy. It is as huge as the four major networks in the US. It has exclusive rights to the worlds' most popular blockbusters and is home to one of the most lucrative sports competitions in the English Premier League. Movies and sports aren't the only niches in which Sky dominates; catch-up and on-demand TV content is an integral part of its Network.
The network's success and dominance in Great Britain led to its own streaming service, Sky Q. Apart from satellite broadcasting, you can find a wide range of content on the service, which was launched less than five years ago. The Sky Q streaming service provides a comprehensive television viewing experience to its audience.
History
Sky Limited is a media and telecommunications conglomerate currently owned by Comcast. Prior to the acquisition, it was owned by 21st Century Fox which had a controlling stake of 39.14%. Sky's history of acquisition is one with a lot of twists and turns. After News Corporation wanted to acquire the network along with the Walt Disney Company, but it was Comcast that acquired Sky Limited after it agreed to pay £17.28 per-share in 2018.
Design
I find websites with a consistent look and feel to be attractive. Sky's website has a beautiful color combination and the banners are very noticeable. The slider option in the hero section makes it easy to understand the content. The homepage banners have a CTA asking users to "Join Now" or "Find Out More" about the service.
If you scroll down, you will find three horizontal tiles categorized as TV, broadband, and mobile. You can click on each of these services to learn about them in detail. Sky is not limited to streaming services and thus you can choose from a wide range of options such as TV, broadband, and mobile. Think of it as AT&T in the US, except its rise to dominance can be accredited to its broadcasting rather than its telecommunication services.
If you scroll further, you will find six thumbnail images with descriptions highlighting the key offerings on the network. These include Sky Cinema, Mobile & Broadband Services, Sky Sports, Sky O, On-Demand Content and Sky Kids.
I find the layout of ?Find & Watch TV? to be beautifully made and user-friendly. Each of the creative banners has a title followed by a short description, and concludes with a clickable button prompting you to learn more about a show. It is easily one of the most user-intuitive websites for streaming shows, and can hold its own against channels like FX for the throne.
Content
Sky's content prowess is outstanding. From Sky Box Sets to its individual buckets, it offers great value for money. With the SkyBox sets, you get digital content of the 400 most excellent series from HBO, AMC, SKY and other creators. To access this service, you just have to pay a few extra pounds and you can enjoy popular series such as ?Game of Thrones?, ?The Walking Dead?, ?True Detective?, ?Big Little Lies?, ?Vinyl?, ?Blacklist?, ?Fortitude?, ?Bounty Hunters?, ?Dexter?, ?Ross Kemp?s Extreme World? and ?Grey?s Anatomy? to name a few.
SkyBox may not be everything you were expecting, as there is also Sky Cinema, Sky Sports, Sky Kids, and Sky Multiroom. Let's discuss each of these services to better understand their features.
Sky Cinema
Sky Cinema is a network that offers movie channels that are similar to Disney?s Movies Anywhere, but it is much better. The network has eleven movie channels which you can access at any time and in any place you want. If you have an internet connection, you can access 1000+ titles which range from classic movies such as James Bond series to the most recent release, ?Aladdin?. Sky updates its library on a seasonal basis, for instance, now is the best time to enjoy holiday movies. It is a bit more expensive than the SkyBox but it is an add-on that you do not want to miss.
Sky Sports
If you're an EPL fan, there is no way to avoid subscribing to this network. Apart from football, you can enjoy golf, cricket and even Formula 1. The reason why Sky Sports is twice as expensive as Sky Cinema is because it has to pay enormous licensing fees for the Premier League.
Sky Kids
Under the Sky Kids offers 11 kids channels with on-demand content including 4500+ episodes of current and classic kids' shows.
Sky Multiroom
With the introduction of Sky Q, you now have the ability to have a Multiroom TV. This is done by using Sky Q minis which plug into your additional TV and help it stream content via an internet connection, preferably a Wi-Fi.
Sky Q has uplifted the compatibility
The arrival of Sky Q has transformed the ways in which content is delivered. Sky Q Mini boxes, though they don't currently support 4K yet, are great for feeding content in all the TVs across the house. The revamped Sky GO app is available on a wide range of platforms, including iPhones, Android and Amazon's Fire tablets.
Well-managed On-demand Content
Sky truly does have the capacity to compete with Netflix and I emphatically say so because it does manage its on-demand content very well. Without any compromises in its interface, it provides a steady viewing experience across all platforms. I enjoyed viewing content on the iPlayer. Since shows are already downloaded to the box, you can enjoy them without any buffering. Thus, even if you don't have the best of broadband connections, you'll be fine.
It seems like so far the review is paid, but I'm going to have to say that the praises may start to disappear.
4K Content is only available via broadcast
If you have a 4K UHD TV, you can enjoy 4K content on broadcast and television shows. If you do not have a 4K UHD TV, and would like the 4K experience, you will need the Sky Q experience pack with 2TB Sky Q box in order to be able to watch broadcasts such as Premier League games, F1 races, boxing matches, rugby games, and darts tournaments on 4K quality.
Doesn?t have the best customer feedback
Sky's poor viewer rating is evident when looking at their Q box, which still doesn't have HDR support. Additionally, there is no way to watch the 4K unless you're streaming live events.
Plans & Pricing
Sky's payment plan is complex and the case with all pay-TV providers. The amount you pay correlates with the type of content you want. Sky Q box which comes in 1 and 2TB version allows you to record three shows simultaneously whilst allowing you to watch the fourth title. For 4K experience, you need to subscribe to Sky Q experience.
To access 4K content, Sky Q season pass is a prerequisite. For an extra £5/month, you can also download content and get 4K capabilities with Netflix if you pair it up with the Ultimate On Demand service.
There are other subscription options which include:
Apart from this, other subscription options include:
Sky Entertainment: The monthly costs are £22 for standard definition and £5 for HD content. This includes 42 channels and unlocks HD content in kid's packs, on-demand, and HD content. You can access up to two screens of Netflix, ITV, BBC, and Channel 4 HD.
On Demand: Sky offers a 500-box set and Netflix subscription at an affordable £12/month.
Sky Cinema is an HD offering that has a movie library that costs £11/per month.
Sky Sports: An HD service that provides access to a variety of channels for a monthly fee, starting at £18 per month.
Sky Kids TV is a streaming service that costs £5 per month and features 11 channels along with 5000+ episodes on on-demand content for children.
Suggestions I have for Sky
Sky needs to up its game in order to stay competitive with BT Sport. If Sky begins to price their services more competitively, it could win back some customers who have switched over to BT Sport. However, if Sky makes the switch to a completely digital service, it will only be appreciated if the changes are practical for end customers.
Conclusion
If you want to access an extensive library of content with a plethora of channels across various genres, you are not really considering any other service except Sky or BT. I do feel that they need to tone down their plans and pricing when they go all digital.
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