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Sky UK Unveil New Sky Glass Streaming Broadband TV Platform UPDATE2

Thursday, Oct 7th, 2021 (9:21 am) - Score 35,336
Sky-Glass-Broadband-TV

After all the leaks and rumours, Sky UK (Comcast) are this morning finally taking the wrappings off their new Sky Glass product, which we can confirm is essentially a Sky branded TV that streams their content over your home broadband ISP and WiFi 6 connection (i.e. no satellite dish and no set-top-box required).

Until now, anybody who wanted access to all of Sky’s TV channels usually needed to get a satellite dish installed. Alternatively, Sky also operates the somewhat cut-down and Roku based NOW TV streaming service, but this has fewer features (e.g. it still hasn’t introduced either 4K or HDR video quality) and a more restrictive content selection.

However, Sky have long been developing a full TV via broadband platform (here), but so far they’ve only launched such a solution in Italy (Sky via Fibre), Austria (Sky X) and, most recently, Germany (Sky Q IP Box). But for the past couple of months we’ve also been receiving leaks about a new Sky over IP (SoIP) platform that would deliver the same sort of service, albeit for customers in the United Kingdom.

Much as we leaked a week ago (here), the headline product is called Sky Glass, which is a modern “Quantum Dot” QLED 4K and HDR capable TV set that also integrates Sky’s TV services via broadband (internet streaming) and 360° Dolby Atmos® sound via six speakers, plus a subwoofer. Sky Glass is also the world’s first TV to be certified Carbon Neutral.

You also get integrated voice control, as well as the usual Sky Remote. In addition, Sky said that their TVs have a “unique mounting bracket … so it fits elegantly against the wall. Or on a sleek, colour-matched stand. Whichever you prefer.” Sky Glass TV’s also include 3 x HDMI v2.1 ports, Bluetooth 5.0, 1 x USB C (for power only), 1 x AC Power Port and a 1 x TV Aerial port (not that you’ll need it).

We should add that the Sky Glass, specifically its streaming solution, has been built on the same technology that Comcast use in the USA. Sky also plans to launch a “high spec 4K smart camera that works seamlessly with Sky Glass” at some point in 2022.

NOTE: You’ll need a minimum broadband download speed of 10Mbps to use Sky Glass (HD Streaming), rising to 25Mbps for 4K and 35Mbps for two Sky Glass 4K systems.

Prices for Sky Glass start from £13 per month and this includes their base 43″ TV set on a 48-month interest free loan (or £26 over 24 months, and you can also pay £649 upfront instead of the monthly fee). Sky Glass comes in several colours, and you can also get it in a Medium (55″) and Large (65″) size at extra cost. We understand that customers will also need to take the Sky Ultimate TV service at £26 a month (31 day contract). All of this comes with a full 2-year warranty and a free delivery service that includes unboxing and packaging removal.

In addition to Glass, Sky will also offer a Whole Home pack, which includes Sky Stream Pucks (boxes) that can work with your existing TVs (adding Sky TV via streaming for a multi-room solution). But these will attract a £50 upfront cost, as well as a £10 monthly subscription and, oddly, they require a slightly faster minimum download speed of 15Mbps (10Mbps on Sky Glass). Sky’s Apps will also extend access to Tablets and Smartphones etc. The Sky Stream Pucks also include 1 x HDMI v2.1 port, 1 x 100Mbps Ethernet (LAN) port and 1 x AC Power Port.

Sky-Stream-Pucks

Naturally, customers will also benefit from the usual content integrations with third-party TV apps and subscriptions services, such as BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Disney Plus, ITV Hub, All4, Spotify, Peloton, PlayWorks and more. All of this is due to launch in the UK from the 18th October 2021.

Dana Strong, Sky’s Group Chief Executive, said:

“Sky Glass is the streaming TV with Sky inside, providing the total integration of hardware, software and content. Built on over 30 years of understanding what our customers want, this is a TV that only Sky could make. We believe this is the smartest TV available, and that customers will love it.”

The challenge for Sky will be in selling this type of product to consumers, many of which will already have a large 4K capable and internet-connected TV set in their home and may not be particularly attracted by the idea of a Sky specific model (we believe these might be based on LG’s hardware).

Meanwhile, consumers who were hoping to see a product that would enable them to access Sky’s full range of Pay TV services over broadband, may or may not walk away feeling a little disappointed. We’re currently trying to confirm whether the Sky Stream Pucks will ever be purchasable as a separate product from Sky Glass, but at present that may not be possible.

The other question mark is whether customers will also need to have a Sky Broadband ISP connection for all of this to work, or if they’ll be able to take it with other (different) ISPs. We are still trying to get this confirmed.

For the time being, the closest you can get to that ideal (accessing Sky TV via broadband from any ISP) is the more restrictive NOW TV platform.

UPDATE 10:32am

Sky informs us that Sky Glass has been built as a platform which can be deployed by other Telco and subscription television operators, so they can bring the Sky Glass experience to their customers too. Sky today announced that the Foxtel Group, Australia’s subscription TV company, will be its first Sky Glass syndication partner.

Sky Glass will launch in the Australian market as an element of the Foxtel Group’s future roadmap for its Foxtel brand and will contain both Foxtel and third-party content. This is the first of many such collaborations that Sky has planned.

UPDATE 10:51am

By the looks of it, anybody who wants to access Sky’s HDR video and Dolby Atmos compatible audio content will also need to tack another £5 per month charge on to the aforementioned prices.

However, some good news, you will be able to take Sky Glass via other broadband ISPs.

UPDATE 11:36am

Some bad news, the Sky Stream Pucks will only be available alongside Sky Glass, thus the wait goes on for Sky to produce a true dish-less TV via broadband product, which hopefully doesn’t hobble itself by coming attached to a premium TV set that you might not want.

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Mark-Jackson
By Mark Jackson
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and .
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Comments
131 Responses
  1. Avatar photo Smythe says:

    I think going down this TV route is a mistake. A set top box would have been a better way.

    1. Mark-Jackson Mark Jackson says:

      The announcement hasn’t finished, writing what I learn as fast as I can..

    2. Avatar photo Evo says:

      Linear TV is dead and they know it – this makes perfect sense.

    3. Avatar photo Jonny @ ZYBRE says:

      A 4K Android box, is what they need. Like the connected home range in other countries. It’s a real shame the first major move into IPTV is from the biggest player in the sector. It’s like they’re disrupting their own market.

      Hopefully wholesale for ISP’s is on the cards. There’s so many FullFibre providers that Sky wouldn’t have the coverage like it does now on older tech.

  2. Avatar photo Scott says:

    I suggested this on one of the other Sky threads and looks like i was right – this is TV as a Service.

    The reference the keynote speaker said was that this was like paying for your tv like a mobile phone contract.

    Guess that’s fine but how much will the actual sub to access channels cost after that ?

    1. Avatar photo Winston Smith says:

      People don’t change their TV like they change their mobile phone.

      Increasingly they aren’t changing their mobile phone that often are going for SIM only plans.

    2. Avatar photo Mark says:

      From what the key notes the 43inch small tv plus Sky ultimate tv package from £39 per month that’s £26 for ultimate tv service over a 12 month period and £13 for Sky glass 43inch tv over a 48 month period

  3. Avatar photo Chris Sayers says:

    “Naturally, customers will also benefit from the usual content integrations with third-party TV apps and subscriptions services, such as BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video etc. All of this is due to launch in the UK from the 18th October 2021.”

    Until they decide not to, there is industry precedent for this to happen.

    IMHO the costs of entry seems rather steep, I’ll keep the clutter bolted to the house.

    1. Avatar photo Chris Sayers says:

      Reflecting on my last comment, Sky has produced a blinder, what an own goal, another ivory tower blue sky thinking.

  4. Avatar photo JasonM says:

    I can’t see many people wanting to take advantage of this and even less wanting to upgrade their TV’s at the same time as signing up for sky, then you have to factor in the extra cost of another TV for people who want multi-room subscription. Finally, is this service actually going to be available for anyone who is not on sky broadband, factor all that in this becomes a long term very expensive if not niche proposition. Why sky could not just produce an app say for the Apple TV, fire TV 4K stick or nvidia shield TV is beyond me, they could have even released a streaming player themselves.

    1. Avatar photo ianh says:

      It would be a downgrade for me. Suppose if i REALLY wanted it (i don’t), i could put a TV in the garage for the car to watch cartoons when im working from home.

      I was absolutely tempted by a sky over broadband package. What a shame.

    2. Avatar photo FMac says:

      If you wants it in additional rooms you can buy additional ‘Glass’ TVs or remote ‘pucks’ to that connect via HDMI.

      And Sky do have an app you can download and use on devices.. it’s called NowTV.

  5. Avatar photo Tarzion says:

    I am moving into a flat where there is currently no Sky communal dish installed.

    It was supposed to be installed this week and the engineer refused to do so, citing this new product.

    I am in the middle of a contract and without a standalone box, I don’t see myself buying another TV.

  6. Avatar photo CJ says:

    just scanned the first hour looks not bad, all the sky channels, Netflix and a 43” tv for £39 a month. You can also swap the Tv for the latest version like you do on a mobile contract.

    1. Avatar photo DSwan says:

      They’ve also conspicuously left out any reference to 3rd party channels.

      Will they relay all services on the current EPG, or just the ones that cough up additional fees?

      Ultimately, this is what would make a true alternative to the satellite service.

      It also stops any possibility of your TV having any useful built-in tuners – excluding any channels that are manually tunable on a satellite box. It’s the ultimate walled garden…

      They also mention that the DVB-T2 tuner is a ‘back up’ – so there’s a possibility it may not be accessible as a selectable input.

  7. Avatar photo James Edge says:

    Have they mentioned anything about how far behind live this will be? Having a dish means you are ahead of Twitter, Betting apps, your mates etc. Prime, BT Sport in App, Sky Go etc all suffer from 30seconds – 1 minute behind live and can really ruin a match, F1 race, etc etc.

    1. Avatar photo Chris Sayers says:

      I had not considered that, the last thing you want is the pub cheering down the road before you see that all important goal, then you see your team loosing the match,
      Hee hee hee LOL…

    2. Avatar photo James Edge says:

      Another great example! Or the family next door who still have a dish and support the other team…

    3. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      I’m not sure if they are doing anything at a technical level to resolve the delayed pictures issue with IPTV.

      I know engineers are working on the problem, but it is complex due to mechanisms that make it even viable to deliver a service like this over the internet. There’s a lot of clever stuff going on that helps keep operating costs down.

      In short, I suspect there will still be a delay versus satellite delivered Sky Sports. Hopefully it will be less than the 60-80 seconds I currently see on Sky Go, and a big improvement over the 2-3 minutes I see when watching 4k sport over IPTV (Euro 2020 for example).

  8. Avatar photo McNugget365 says:

    “Prices for sky glass start at £13 per month” – this makes it sound like a great deal, however its really £39 per month if you need to sub to sky at the same time.

    Sky really are completely off the mark here in my opinion.

    They charge extra for multiroom, they charge extra for HD, charge extra for UHD etc. etc etc.

    I have sky q (with movies and sport in uhd), netflix, disney plus, apple tv and prime video. Each of those services are cheaper than sky, most of the content is in 4K, and I can watch more than one stream at a time and across multiple devices as standard. (I know netflix require their top tier for 4k and multiroom, but most people are probably on that level anyway if they have a 4k tv, and its pretty cheap compared to the charge for multi room from sky)

    The only thing I seem to watch on sky is the F1 and maybe some movies depending what the Friday premiere is. Other than that i wouldnt pay for sky.

    In my opinion the programming selection on netflix etc is far superiror. And i dont have to deal with adverts every 15 minutes. Sky have the audacity to show adverts for two minues at the start of their on demand movies, and have now started showing adverts during their F1 practice content. They should be moving away from those things to try and compete with netflix etc.

    They would be much better off bringing prices down, cutting down on ads, removing charges for things like multiroom, having iptv available via an app rather than a tv (why would I change my tv that already outspecs this sky offering?).

    1. Avatar photo Bob says:

      I am sure taking your expert business advice has done them very well over the years.

    2. Avatar photo WonkoTheSaneUK says:

      You can fast forward through the ads at the start of VOD movies.

  9. Avatar photo Sam says:

    I dont want to replace either my 65 curved TV which cost me 2 grand 4 yrs ago or my 43 inch tv i got in 2019. I just wanted a more reliable set top box.. missed opportunity sky. I never ever user the voice function, its a gimmick. Plus its a 4 year contract… 4 bloody years. You also need atleast 25 meg broadband which alot of rural people struggle to get.

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      It is not a 4 year contract.

      Sky are offering a 4 year interest free loan on a new TV as standard. I imagine they may offer other payment plans on different credit terms if you prefer to pay more, settle quicker. And surely you’ll be able to settle any balance early if you prefer to pay it off in a lump sum.

      You can buy also buy the TV as a one-off lump sum too if you don’t want it on credit.

      The TV package is a 31 day contract.

    2. Avatar photo Bob says:

      2 grand for a curved TV? You are exactly the kind of mug Sky are targeting. This sounds like it would be right up your street. It’s a great opportunity to piss money away!

    3. Avatar photo Mel says:

      @Bob Just over 5 years ago, a 55 inch LG OLED cost £1,200+ and was just 1080p. And the 65 inch 4K OLED with a jaw droppingly stunning picture that I really wanted was about £4K. So to me £2 grand 4 years ago probably wasn’t a stupid price to pay 4 years ago if it was a decent 65 inch display.

    4. Avatar photo Pezza says:

      @Murr Doc.. so is that your official Sky representative comment there then, that you’ll be able to simply pay off your TV purchase fee when ever you like, or change your repayments in it when you like?
      Because you won’t be able to do that, Sky has never allowed that, you will be locked in the contract you select for the time selected, even 4 years. That’s terrible and very anti consumer.

    5. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      @Pezza Sky allows exactly that with their mobile handset repayment plans. You can pay off the balance at any time.
      The TV contract is only 30 days as has been pointed by others too. So you have ultimate flexibility with Sky Glass. It’s a great deal, you should consider it.

  10. Avatar photo RaptorX says:

    The 10 pence question is of course, why haven’t sky released a Q-like DVR to access this service. Why insist that people change their TVs to get it? Is it perhaps to corner the TV market and push competitors out? Similar thing with the requirement to use Sky Broadband with it, id true. This is a massive power grab of consumer choice, restricting it massively and should be resisted. I wouldn’t buy into this.

    1. Avatar photo adslmax says:

      Sky is misleading. The TV package is 31 days notice except **Sky Sports 18 months contract applied and Sky Cinema 18 months contract applied and Sky Atlantic 18 months contract applied** the rest of other subscription are 31 days notice.

    2. Avatar photo Pezza says:

      @adslmax ah so that’s how they are doing it, because Sky Cinema and Atlantic aren’t fixed term contracts if I recall on Sky Q. I bet the sports package is 18 months too then. I could be wrong.

  11. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

    I’m loving these announcements. Sky Glass has the potential to revolutionise the TV experience in the home.

    Pricing is surprisingly attractive too. I think a lot of people will be tempted to sign up to this.

    Great article by the way!

    1. Avatar photo L.E. Vator says:

      Give us a break “Murr Doc” (i.e. Sky’s sales department) will you?

    2. Avatar photo MartinConf says:

      @Murr Doc

      Please report back to your bosses at Sky that a large majority of people online think this product is a dead duck.

    3. Avatar photo adslmax says:

      No, they will NOT! Sky are BIG MISTAKE on this. Will soon know more and more customers switch to NowTV.

  12. Avatar photo Carl O says:

    Having a smart app that incorporates this would be much more preferable to me, as we have Sky FTTP and 3 smart TV in the house, don’t really have the need for another.

  13. Avatar photo Mark says:

    This cannot be eco friendly if you have it on swap plans, most people want to keep there tv for many years if they can, not swap it every 2 or 3 years! Eco friendly I think not!

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      You don’t have to swap it out. Once it is paid for, it’s yours to keep as long as you want. Sky are just offering the option if you want to upgrade, just as you can with your mobile phone when acquired on contract.
      Sky are doing a heap of eco-friendly stuff around the build of these TV units. It’s rather impressive.

  14. Avatar photo fsociety3765 says:

    God, I hope this flops. I honestly don’t see why anyone with any sense would sign up for these long term contracts with Sky and certainly not when they also own the TV you’re viewing on.
    Sky left themselves behind are desperately playing catch up to the like of Netflix. I personally think Sky is just irrelevant now. They have pretty much nothing on their channels worth watching and the few programs that are worth watching are not worth the monthly fees and long contracts. Better to use Now TV or just pirate the shows as even Now TV is rubbish, which I’m sure is intentional to try and make people go for their full service to get 4K etc. So better to just pirate the few good shows they make.
    They should just give up, ditch the whole Sky service and just throw all their money into Now TV, 4K, surround sound, 30 day contracts and at reasonable prices.

    1. Avatar photo $kyFlop says:

      Totally Agree

    2. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      You aren’t leasing the TV. You are buying it outright on these monthly terms. I imagine the puck probably is leased like Sky Q hardware.

  15. Avatar photo Matt says:

    You aso have to pay £5 a month to skip ads…
    “Fast forward ads included free for 12 months, then £5 a month to keep or simply remove it.”
    https://www.sky.com/glass/technical-specifications/55inch?contract=48months&irct=glassHome-glass-techSpecs

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      £5 a month to seamlessly fast forward ads seems a fair price for ultimate convenience. Conceptually I love it.

  16. Avatar photo DavidSwan says:

    They’ve conspicuously left out any reference to 3rd party channels.

    Will they relay all services on the current EPG, or just the ones that cough up additional fees?

    Ultimately, this is what would make a true alternative to the satellite service.

    It also stops any possibility of your TV having any useful built-in tuners – excluding any channels that are manually tunable on a satellite box. It’s the ultimate walled garden…

    They mention that the DVB-T2 tuner is a ‘back up’ – so there’s a possibility it may not be accessible as a selectable input.

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      You have three HMDI ports on the TV if you choose to cancel Sky and wish to connect another service. You are not locked in.

      I believe you’ll be getting a comparable list of channels to Sky Q, so the experience will be full works Sky premium TV.

    2. Avatar photo DavidSwan says:

      Clearly ‘Murr Doc’ has some personal insight into this?

      My point was about internal tuners – yes, there are HDMI inputs as additional options, but the inclusion of a DVB-T2/S option has been left out. Unlike most high end TV’s that include at least one of these – and certainly not as a ‘back up’.

      There’s no reference to 3rd party broadcasters in any of the documentation. Why not include that? Or give any reference or reassurance that you’ll still able to watch CBS Reality if taking it.

      You ‘believing’ they’ll be carried doesn’t explain why they’ve been specifically excluded.

      Unlike with satellite carriage, Sky is acting as the gatekeeper – so other broadcasters can’t broker a deal for transponder space with other providers.

      That level of control – down to the bitrates that services are streamed out at – puts Sky in a monopoly situation.

    3. Avatar photo Pezza says:

      @davidswann I think it’s pretty obvious Murr Doc is a fully salaried Sky public relations representative, and a crap one at that reading the sales pitch promotional rubbish they are typing. I would ignore everything they say.

  17. Avatar photo Rob says:

    Why can’t their stream pucks be bought individually with a subscription. I already have a nice TV. For a company that seemingly cares about the environment, doing away with perfectly good equipment to get this seems extremely backwards.

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      They haven’t announced puck-only will be possible yet, but I am sure you will eventually have that as an option.

      Sky’s focus right now is on delivering a truly immersive experience that is only possible by controlling the full stack from panel to remote.

  18. Avatar photo Sky customer says:

    Sky need to think carefully about the platforms people want – ie Sky Q via Internet. Yes, it’s a challenge, but it’s not beyond their means to achieve this.

    With most content providers going or looking to go down the compartmentalised app route (a separate issue where there will be so many, that people simply won’t subscribe to them all), there will be less and less content available on Sky’s own channels. With more content being delivered via apps, with some excellent devices (Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast etc) providing a platform for these, the need for a Sky Q box at significant cost is diminished. Whilst I have one to benefit from recording live TV and also near-exclusive HD partnerships with ITV, Channel 4 and 5 catch-up/on-demand, I’m watching very little live TV now apart from sport. Many of the apps are on Sky Q (notable exceptions being Apple but that’s Apple’s own doing).

    Sky wanting to keep a stranglehold on the end-to-end kit is becoming quite short-sighted. Sure, there’s Now TV (and Sky Go) and contractual rights agreements do restrict how this can be used (e.g. mirroring, number of devices etc), but it’s fairly expensive in comparison to the flagship product and does punish those who can’t/won’t have a dish.

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      The flagship Sky services are about delivering a best-in-class experience to consumers at a premium price. People will only pay a premium if you provide a simple and streamlined way to achieve that truly immersive entertainment experience.

      Once you start distributing out Sky Q streaming apps to third-rate hardware and software platforms, you diminish the value of the flagship Sky product.

      I like what Sky is doing here with their full stack panel to remote approach. It is what Apple does so well with most of their products. The more control you retain, the better the experience for your customer.

  19. Avatar photo Gavin says:

    I always thought Sky would go this way, as I think all broadcasts will eventually reach us via a cable of some type.

    I think Sky are restricting themselves by only being able to get this service via a pre-made tv set. I guess they have some deal with the tv manufacturer.

    I’d expect in the future that the Now service app will morph in to this new app.

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      They obviously have a deal with a manufacturer to product the TV sets, but this approach also ensures Sky can guarantee a premium quality experience for every customer.

      So Sky with this approach, can test and ensure all aspects of the service delivers an identical experience in every home. There is no issue with compatibility with cheaper sets, or sets without specific features that degrade the experience, or missing features on different soundbars. Sky Glass will deliver a best-in-class Sky experience in every home.

  20. Avatar photo zzing says:

    Why can’t it just be an app on my smart TV? No need for any Amstrad hamstrung hardware

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      Eventually it may be possible, but I think for now Sky want to wow people with an all-inclusive experience that is fully tested and guaranteed to work the same in every home. I love the concept.

    2. Avatar photo Pezza says:

      @Murr Doc hahahaha ‘wow people’… Skys PR department must be paying you well to come up with crap like that! They aren’t wowing ANYONE with this rubbish, Sky is dead and thankfully streaming services will reduce its customers, which hopefully will force it to lose its monopoly on sports. Sky is a dinosaur in a digital age.

    3. Avatar photo Yatta! says:

      I doubt Sky’s hardware division (FKA Amstrad) is the OEM.

    4. Avatar photo Mike says:

      ” fully tested and guaranteed to work the same in every home.”

      Except Sky have no control over the broadband connection if this is for use on any ISP….

  21. Avatar photo Jonny says:

    So it’s a £624 43″ TV that is required to subscribe to a £26 TV package that is just Netflix and the stuff you can get on Now? I’ll have to contain my excitement here I think.

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      The TV has 3 HDMI out ports if you choose to leave your premium Sky TV experience behind in the future.

    2. Avatar photo Jonny says:

      You seem very keen to add loads of positive replies to this comment thread

    3. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      Hi Jonny,

      I’m just a Sky TV fan. I always get a bit overexcited when Sky brings something new and innovative to market.

      I’m proud to be a Sky customer of 21 years. How about you?

  22. Avatar photo Nemo says:

    Does the sky glass tv have an Ethernet port? I know the sky puck will.

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      Yes Sky Inside supports WiFi and Ethernet.

  23. Avatar photo Zakir says:

    Firestick, fire tv cube is better

  24. Avatar photo Sky Customer says:

    The use of Apple TV by pay-providers in the UK has been largely ignored. In other markets, pay TV providers have apps and allow 3rd party associated services to authenticate via the main subscription account. This is really popular in the US for example.

    Whilst the Apple TV doesn’t have recording functionality, the eco system is flexible and controllable. Depending on the way providers work, Apple don’t necessarily take a big cut as the subscription is already purchased directly.

    It’s a shame this hasn’t been used in the UK – it would be a neat solution for Sky/Virgin/BT to provide customers looking for a streaming / catch-up service via a robust 3rd party product (bundled for customers who don’t already have a device) without ‘tarnishing’ the flagship hardware product (i.e. Sky Q).

    1. Avatar photo Winston Smith says:

      Customers have largely ignored Apple TV hardware too, even in the US.

      As a result they’ve launched an Apple TV app for smart TVs and the like.

      They have very little exclusive content and less third party content than others.

    2. Avatar photo Pezza says:

      No one has ignored it? The Apple TV has the same apps pretty much as the Fire TV does, and runs them better. But you won’t see anywhere near the same apps as you do in the US because of the likes of Sky, they have contracts that block those other apps coming to the U.K. market, thru aren’t going to allow HBO to launch an app and take away their customers.

      Licensing agreements are what rule and run the U.K. TV market.

    3. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      The Sky Q experience is vastly superior to Apple TV already. Sky Glass will take this to a whole other level. For those that want app support on their own streaming devices, Now TV continues to exist with boosts to optimise the experience.

  25. Avatar photo SomeoneElse says:

    And hey presto, here it is.

    What nonsense.

    If it had been a box/app to use on existing equipment I would have considered the sub. For me, NOW will continue to fill the already diminishing need for Sky’s programming – essentially HBO content now, which I believe even that will be available as an app sometime in the next year or two.

    FWIW: Samsung tried this TV ‘upgrade’ programme, new tv every 24 mths. on credit; it didn’t work and they canned it.

    1. Avatar photo Winston Smith says:

      They will almost certainly launch a puck only subscription in due course as take up of TV Glass will be too slow to establish this as a credible rival to other streaming services.

      BTW these probably are Samsung TVs.

  26. Avatar photo Pezza says:

    Seems like a totally flawed rip off to me. A desperate attempt to protect their monopoly over the U.K. TV market, which will hopefully fail. It’s just cost after cost after cost looking at it, and they are then allowed to have the monopoly on certain sports…
    Streaming services and cheap 4K streaming boxes must really be hurting them. Also a QLED? Seriously, they couldn’t build an OLED with this?

    They need to launch a streaming app only that runs on all equipment like Fire TV Sticks to remain relevant, not rent out TV’s.

    1. Avatar photo Nicholas Ashfield says:

      Totally agree. I’m sure ‘Mur Foch’ will disagree with us both. Obviously a Sky Public Rep.

      The whole concept is ridiculous and bad for the environment. Any company that thinks it reasonable to charge a monthly premium for 4K content demonstrates its corporate greed and deserves to fail.

      Sky should stick to software and content and leave the hardware to companies that specialise in hardware.

      I’m fed up that Sky imposes a price increase every year. You pay an expensive monthly subscription and they still expect you to watch adverts. Makes you realise what good value the TV licence is.

  27. Avatar photo Charlie says:

    I have three UHD TV’s and SkyQ with multiroom. I can only get UHD on the main SkyQ box and had hoped that I could ditch the SkyQ mini boxes and replace them with the puck. Will this be possible or will the pucks be hamstrung too?

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      I believe the new pucks are 4k ready and have ethernet support to help carry the necessary bandwidth.

  28. Avatar photo Mel says:

    I thought “QLED” was what Samsung call their LCD display technology.

    LG have Nanocell (which I think like Samsung’s QLED also uses quantum dots instead of filters in some displays) and of course, OLED.

    Can’t see anyone already with a decent TV wanting to pay out extra to buy a Sky Amstrad locked replacement.

    Is the idea to stop users getting at a HDMI source they could use HDMI streaming hardware to share premium content over the net with their mates?

  29. Avatar photo Neo says:

    Did they say if the pucks will be 4K?

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      I am told the pucks will support 4k. I too have been waiting for this since Sky Q multiroom boxes are limited to 1080p, and it’s very annoying since my TV’s are all UHD now.

  30. Avatar photo Cheap Skate Walter says:

    If my kids want it, I’m definitely getting it.
    Background… best decision I ever made was to cut off Sky after decades of subscriptions. 2 adult sons began to to cry that they want to keep Sky.
    I said “if you pay for it you can have it.” Dutifully every month, I see a credit in my account for Sky…and I must say I enjoy watching Sky now.
    If my boys want the Sky Glass package… they can have it too (so long as they keep on paying)

  31. Avatar photo Yatta! says:

    I wonder who the OEM is?

    If I had to bet, my money would be on Hisense or TCL.

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      I am sure whoever is partnering with Sky to deliver this new experience for customers, it will surely meet Sky’s flagship standards test. Just wait for the reviews to flow out. I am excited myself.

    2. Avatar photo Chris W says:

      Could be LG, they made TVs for John Lewis a few years back.

    3. Avatar photo FMac says:

      It’s all made by Sky internally, not by third parties like Samsung, LG etc etc

    4. Avatar photo Yatta! says:

      @FMac: I seriously doubt Sky’s hardware division (FKA Amstrad) will be manufacturing or even assembling the TVs themselves. The costs of creating a TV assembly line would enormously out way any potential profits.

    5. Avatar photo Roger_Gooner says:

      The TVs are made by TP Vision which makes and markets Philips TVs and Philips audio products. TP Vision is owned by Hong Kong-based TPV Technology.

  32. Avatar photo Gottobekiddingme says:

    So two years into your new 4 yr finance deal the TV breaks would you believe it 1 day after the warranty ran out, sky still want your money for their sub as do the finance company to pay for the telly, nah think i’ll skip it thanks.

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      I believe this new experience will be eligible for the popular Sky Protect plan.

  33. Avatar photo Winston Smith says:

    It will be interesting to see which HDR formats Glass supports.

    For broadcast TV Sky has to use HLG to be backwards compatible with SDR TVs but this isn’t a problem with IPTV.

    Samsung don’t support Dolby Vision, arguably the highest quality HDR format, instead supporting their own HDR 10+ extension to the base HDR 10 standard. The problem is that there is very little existing content in HDR 10+.

    Of course Samsung TVs are technically capable of supporting Dolby Vision if they chose to license it.

    Most Netflix HDR content is available in Dolby Vision.

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      The beauty of this new experience, Sky can pick and choose the very best standards and technologies for its customers. That’s what’s so exciting about Sky transitioning towards controlling the whole stack from panel to remote. We no longer have to worry about supporting the lowest common denominator.

      Sky Glass will be the best of everything for those who choose to adopt it.

  34. Avatar photo Dan says:

    I’ll stick with the occasional few months of NOW TV then, there’s no way I’m buying a new TV for this never mind one of the most expensive subscriptions out there. NOW TV is barely worth it for me these days anyway, I only have it for a few US TV shows that will eventually move elsewhere.

  35. Avatar photo JohnAT says:

    Is a Freeview tuner/aerial socket included for quick/emergency switchover in case of loss of broadband?.

    1. Avatar photo adslmax says:

      Don’t think so, we know what Sky are like. They fully controlled it. If broadband went downtime, you unable to watch any TV

    2. Avatar photo FMac says:

      There’s a poet you can use to connect your own aerial setup too

  36. Avatar photo adslmax says:

    I can see Sky are going downfall now. No ones want sky glass streaming.

  37. Avatar photo DSwan says:

    Now it’s becoming clearer that this isn’t a replacement for the satellite service at all.

    According to the consumer website – they’re saying the service will carry ‘up to 120’ channels – excluding a considerable chunk of services already paying to be carried on the satellite EPG.

    This means existing customers face losing access to channels that haven’t agreed carriage on the new service.

    Once you’ve added in services from Sky and the main PSB broadcasters, you’re talking about a channel list that wouldn’t look too out of place from the Now TV stable – and actually not too dissimilar from Freeview+ (albeit with Sky content).

    Like Sky+ and Sky HD, Sky Q was an evolution of multichannel television – Sky Glass is the end of it.

    I suppose it’s desperation. If you can own the entire vertical process – from content production to distribution, then you can lock users into the ultimate walled garden – albeit with a nice view.

    1. Avatar photo DSwan says:

      Correction, 140 channels.

  38. Avatar photo stuart baldock says:

    I think this could be a good deal for newcomers to sky or those looking for a new TV. One thing I can’t find is if the unit is 120htz utilising the full bandwidth of 2.1 HDMI? If it does turn out to be a quality panel then I’m in.

    1. Avatar photo Anthony says:

      It is a 60Hz panel going by the only information Sky provides for the 55″ TV (Product Information sheet on the Sky tech specs page) It is also believed to not contain Variable Refresh Rate even though it is in the HDMI 2.1 spec (not a mandatory part though).

      I’d consider it to upgrade from my 32″ 1080p screen if it could record/guarantee that stuff I playlist will be there a year or 2 later. Either way my STB will remain as I can at least still record Freeview content. Would pair nicely with the Gig1 VM just turned on in my area I guess.

  39. Avatar photo Crunch says:

    Will it support 3rd party apps like Kodi/Emby, etc?

    1. Avatar photo mike says:

      That’s highly unlikely.

    2. Avatar photo Dswan says:

      Of course not, they’re hardly going to allow you to store and stream your own content. That’d defeat the whole idea of locking content into packages they can control access to.

      They’re only including a DVB-T2 tuner as a ‘back up’ – it might not even be accessible as a user selectable input. Clearly they see Freeview as a threat.

      They’re going to make it as difficult as possible for you to use the TV without subscribing to the service. Yeah, you’ll be able to connect another device to it, but forgot any of the standard features you’d get with literally every other high end TV.

  40. Avatar photo Wibble says:

    presumably there will be some sort of GPS invovled, to stop ex-pats going over to spain and using the glass with a vpn

  41. Avatar photo L says:

    I was actually genuinely interested in dish-less Sky TV as it makes sense for so many use cases (flats, people who don’t want a dish, listed buildings where a dish is not allowed). I never though Sky’s idea would be bad enough to turn this obvious victory into defeat. But that’s exactly what they did. Sky really are a company completely out of touch with modern media consumption habits. And I say that as a long-time customer who has no intention of cancelling my subscription.

  42. Avatar photo FMac says:

    Sky aren’t in “breach” at all. They can’t I stall whatever service as the MDU doesn’t have a communal system and I imagine a dish can’t be installed. The engineer may have stated this as an alt but won’t be the reason they say no.
    If it can’t be installed then they’ll prompt you to cancel as standard process.

  43. Avatar photo Mark says:

    I like the idea of Sky glass especially if you don’t need a dish I live in rented house and one of the houses I’ve been in the landlord wouldn’t let me put a Sky dish up for a start so Sky Glass would have been ideal in that situation and there’s plenty of flats up and down the country that don’t have the right dish or no dish at all where they would benefit from Glass .
    Also I’m liking the idea of better for the environment where you use 50% lest electricity just by having one product plugged in and not multiple eg tv Sky box and soundbar
    So I’ve only seen pricing based off the Small tv plus subscription over a 48 month period which is the £39 price point which if your on a low income is a good start but until they show prices for the Medium and Large tv I’ll wait until there release to find out plus I’m under contract with SkyQ till 2022 anyway so by then Sky Glass should have had a few updates and bug fixes so I’ll see then if I get it or not

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      I totally agree with you. Sky Glass appears to be a very well thought out product that will have immense benefits for consumers.

      It took ages for the latest Sky Q technology to be available to me in a rented apartment. With Sky Glass, anyone with a solid internet connection will be able to join in the fun.

      I hope Mark of ISPreview gets review units. I’d be fascinated by his take.

    2. Avatar photo joshe says:

      Sky will let you change from Sky Q to Glass while in contract btw if you want it as soon as possible

  44. Avatar photo Gary says:

    I’m not even going to reference the thread Troll by name but, if you believe a 43 inch TV is some form of premium product and tying customers to a proprietary TV is a sep forward in content delivery you are truly deluded.

  45. Avatar photo adslmax says:

    Goodbye Sky. The end of the era! No ones want your business anymore!

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      If you don’t enjoy watching the biggest live sporting events, the latest Hollywood blockbusters, the best shows from around the world, immersive documentaries, unrivalled news coverage, and the largest and best collection of box sets in the UK, it is very easy to leave Sky.

  46. Avatar photo Mark says:

    Don,t think I will rush out and order this from John Lewis, as sky tell me, I had to wait over 3 years for sky q only to be continued to be told I cannot have it, yet it my own house and own dish, and I can change the lnb,
    If sky start telling me which TV to have as well , I think I will end my contract after 31 years with them. Oh and for anyone else who wants to know, you can only have one mini box for multiroom. More than one is not allowed as you need planning permission, work on that one!

    Mark, currently got sky+HD and two sky HD multiroom boxes, got sky broadband, sky phone
    Got sky sports pack and signature pck pays £143 per month.

    Been offered cheaper from sky, and sky q but they want £150 per month for second mini box.
    Contract ends in December.

    So its sky HD £143 or sky q £150 !
    Same packs on either.

  47. Avatar photo Roger_Gooner says:

    Having looked more closely at this TV I believe that Sky has a winner. The 43″ model costs only £13pm for four years plus £26pm for Sky Ultimate TV, so £39pm for the first four years. For this you get a decently specified TV with six integrated speakers including Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision (but no HDR10+) and no need for a satellite dish, an aerial or coaxial cables.

    There are some who will say that their HiFi set up is superior, who look down on a VA panel that’s only 60Hz (not the best for gaming), has a bare minimum brightness of probably not much more than 400 nits and also probably has not many local dimming zones (so not good for those who seek the best picture quality). But they are missing the point: these TVs are high quality for the vast majority of people and are very affordable as well. In fact, these TVs should really have been produced by Virgin Media whose network has yet to reach 55% of premises and will never get to anything remotely what Sky now has.

    1. Avatar photo adslmax says:

      £26pm for Sky Ultimate TV these excluding cinema & sports (pointless)

  48. Avatar photo Ian Hart says:

    So I have to DOWNGRADE my new TVs and buy again to get Sky. LMAO. And pay extra £5 for 4k, £5 to skip ads, and £10/month for each additional TV?? When it comes to £££ the Sky really is the limit.

    I’ll stick with my new OLED TVs thanks, with Netflix, Prime, Disney and Freesat. Plus I can get Sky if I want via my (beta trial) Virgin IPTV puck

    Sky seem to be trying to emulate Apple lock<in, but without an ecosystem

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      @Damien The pricing looks very good to me when you consider its bundled with Sky Inside smarts, premium PQ, and a premium sound system.

    2. Avatar photo Chris says:

      Ian, does the beta Virgin IPTV puck include live channels and cloud recording functions? This would be good for people outside their normal coverage area who can’t get a dish. I don’t want to buy a new TV from Sky.

  49. Avatar photo Jonathan says:

    I’m inquisitive as to what sound drivers are installed and who the manufacturer of this component is

  50. Avatar photo Jon says:

    Why didn’t they build in the so called sky stream puck in with the TV and either have it enabled or disabled, the Mac address of the puck could also be blocked or unblocked.

    As sky announced less cables only 1 plug seems they have missed the mark their.

    Be interesting to see what virginmedia have to come up with, can’t see why they can’t offer a all in one box with modem, TiVo and move to SSD or cloud recording

    1. Avatar photo Ian Hart says:

      I am on the beta trial for Virgin IPTV. Small Puck and brings everything together nicely (all UK terrestrial apps, Netflix et al and Sky, etc).

      Not sure I’d pay for it other than a Puck, but if they drive channel subs and PPV films through it I can see it being a good proposition. Unlike TVs that are rarely updated, a common platform means it’s easy to evolve.

  51. Avatar photo Ian Hart says:

    Go on then. I’ll ditch my new OLED TV and Dolby Atmos surround system for a cheaper TV and a soundbar.

    BIG fail. Why not just launch a Puck like a Fire stick (not that it is needed with a recent TV)

  52. Avatar photo Rachel says:

    Once you have paid for the tv it’s paid off and decide to stop sky , can it be used as a normal tv without any sky products so like a smart tv.

    1. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      These stunning new Sky TVs all have three HDMI ports for connecting your own smart devices, so yes, definitely you can.

  53. Avatar photo Greg says:

    your comment when talking about the Pucks “oddly, they require a slightly faster minimum download speed of 15Mbps”

    what’s odd about it? you have to have a Glass TV to have a puck, The Glass which needs 10mb, and then you’re adding a puck, so your total broadband requirements are 10mb (glass) + 5mb (puck) = 15mb

    1. Mark-Jackson Mark Jackson says:

      Why would the puck, specifically, need the extra 5Mbps? Sky doesn’t spell it out anywhere that I can see.

    2. Avatar photo Murr Doc says:

      I think the calculation is probably based on minimum requirements for two simultaneous streams.

  54. Avatar photo Nigel Carter says:

    I’ve just spent £2.7K on an 8K 55” Samsung QLED TV and if Sky think I am going to buy another TV they have got to be deluded. Why can they not just do the simple and straightforward thing and ship an Internet enabled Sky dongle as they have done in other countries. The TV’s they are offering are based on Samsung mid range QLED panels, which are fine, but for most Sky customers I would hazard a guess totally unnecessary.
    As other’s have mentioned, Netflix, Amazon, Disney and many other content providers have made their content available through a wide variety of sources, very few of which require a dedicated chunk of hardware to gain access. My new Samsung TV has apps for every content provider I currently use and a number I might decide to try in the future. This is free choice Sky not a web of unnecessary complexity. I’ve been a sky customer for over 18 years and they have always been difficult to deal with. I would hope that they will eventually see sense and add flexibility into the new offering by dropping the mandatory TV set purchase.

  55. Avatar photo Ian Dobison says:

    Well I for one think Sky Glass is really good! Apart from a couple of 1st day glitches, it is stable and offers an outstanding 10 BITHDR picture which is so crisp and bright!

    Getting the hang of not recording content is strange but once you get your head around the fact that outwith when you are watching live, all historic content is simply streamed whenever you need it.

    Whether the content is on BBC IPlayer, Netflix, ITV Hub really does not matter as it switches to the correct platform automatically.

    This knee jerk reaction out there that says SKY have scored a massive own goal is over the top especially this early after launch, I’m happy and I pay less now for my Sky than on Sky Q by around 340 a month.

  56. Avatar photo Jenny says:

    We are with Virgin Media at the moment for TV and Broadband. We’d like to cancel anyway and TV on the blink so Sky Glass package may be for us. Will I be able to use my computer as I do now without extra charges from Sky?

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