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| Sky Q ships with redesigned hardware, an overhauled user interface and touchscreen remote |
SKY this week unveiled a brand-new satellite television service, redesigned hardware and an overhauled user interface that brings the broadcaster up to speed with rivals like Amazon, Roku and Apple.
Broadcaster Sky has unveiled a redesigned "premium" satellite television service, dubbed Sky Q.
The overhauled television service will not replace the broadcaster's current offering but sits alongside Sky+ HD and on-demand NOW TV.
Sky Q ships with new hardware, an unrecognisable new Sky remote control, new connected multi-room players and a upgraded home broadband hub.
UK prices have not yet been announced – although one analyst predicts Sky Q monthly subscriptions to cross the £100 barrier.
Sky says it will reveal pricing for the next-generation kit next year, but it's safe to assume Sky Q will be significantly more expensive than Sky+ HD, thanks to the redesigned service's "premium" moniker.
The revamped satellite television service will launch across the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland in earlier 2016.
NewsNewsBlog.blogspot.com had the chance to see the redesigned Sky Q kit in action following the announcement – and we were very impressed.
Sky Q really feels like a fresh start for the hugely popular broadcaster.
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| Sky Q will sit alongside Sky HD the firm's video on-demand service, NOW TV |
From the redesigned touchscreen remote and slick new user interface, it feels like the Sky Q team were given a blank slate to try and design a new system that allows Sky to catch-up with its rivals.
The Sky Q Silver is a truly impressive piece of kit. At half the size of the Sky+ HD set-top box, the Silver cuts a trim, stylish and svelte frame.
Sky has packed a staggering 2TB hard drive inside the device, which should be enough to store 350 hours of television in high definition.
The 2TB of available storage will also future-proof the device ready for the launch of Sky's own Ultra HD 4K film and sport channels, which are schooled to roll out mid-2016.
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| The Sky Q Silver set-top box is half the size of a standard Sky HD receiver |
The Sky Q Silver can also record four shows at the same time – double what the current generation of Sky+ HD box can muster.
Sky has done a phenomenal job with the design of the Sky Q Silver box. And the sleek hardware leaves the current Sky+ HD box looking like an out-dated VHS player.
A colourful Q symbol shines on the front of the device – tapping it triggers a bleeping alarm inside the new remote control, which'll help you locate it at the back of the sofa.
Sky has evidently been watching innovations from the likes of Roku, Amazon and Apple as it planned its major remote control redesign.
The new remote ditches its predecessor's old-fashioned
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| Sky has completely redesigned its trademark remote control for the new service |
Swiping your thumb around the touchscreen, navigates around the redesigned user interface and controls playback.
Elsewhere, Sky has streamlined the plethora of buttons on the current Sky+ remote – ditching the dedicated Box Office, Interactive, TV Guide and Services – and adding a new search function button.
Voice search is also supported by the new remote, although this will be added at a later date through a software update from Sky.
During our brief tour of the new system, Sky were pretty tight-lipped about how the voice search would be implemented, but there is staggering potential here.
"Go to BBC One," would be a nice addition but hopefully Sky will take in further and implement intelligent software features – like the Amazon Fire TV – which allows Sky viewers to ask questions like "what time does The Apprentice start this week?" only to get the answer – and a prompt to set a Series Link for the next episode.
The redesigned Sky remote is also surprisingly light – although the fact that it runs on AA batteries is a little disappointing, especially when rival Apple recently unveiled a new touchscreen TV remote which charges via an iPhone charger and has "months of use" under a single charge.
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| Fluid Viewing allows you to pause on one screen and then switch over to another device |
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| The Sky Q app will only be available on Apple and Android tablets at launch, Sky warns |
Sky teased the Sky Q announcement with the social hashtag #SetTVFree, which we now know refers to a new feature called Fluid Viewing.
The nifty new feature allows you to move your content around the house, thanks to the redesigned multi-room Sky Q Mini hubs.
Videos are synced across the Sky Q range, so if you pause a movie in the living room, you can seamlessly resume in another room or on your Apple or Android tablet.
During our demonstration of the technology, Fluid Viewing appeared to transition between devices without a stutter.
Sky Q also lets you take your downloaded movies and shows with you through the same companion tablet app (a smartphone version of the app is expected in late 2016).
Sky says it is the most requested feature from customers, and it's easy to see why.
Thanks to the Sky Q apps you'll be able to download that three-hour epic you've had saved to your Sky box for the past year, ready for an upcoming long-haul flight.
And if you've got patchy wifi around the home, all the latest Sky Q hardware doubles up as a hotspot.
The new Sky Q Hub ships with in-built powerline networking technology which allows it to use the electrical wiring in your house – automatically giving you the best connection available in your house.
Alongside the new hardware, Sky has completely redesigned its text-heavy Sky+ user interface, too.
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| The redesigned hardware runs on completely redesigned software |
Taking a leaf from the beautiful full-bleed images used in Apple's tvOS and the horizontal menu hierarchy used by rivals Roku and Amazon, Sky Q looks beautiful on-screen.
Menus shuffle like a stack of papers as you swipe around the categories on the circular touchpad.
A new intelligent recommendation engine fills the new My Q section, which suggests television shows and movies based on your previous viewing habits.
Searching across your recorded shows and live television is also faster and easier in the new menu, too.
Our first impressions of the Sky Q are really good.
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| Don't let the futuristic redesign fool you, the new touchscreen remote still runs on AA batteries |
Sky has updated its hardware and software to bring the Sky experience head-to-head with Amazon, EE TV and Apple TV.
Unfortunately, the biggest Q surrounding the new Sky system is the price.
Sky has said its new satellite package will be a "premium" offering – and while it could be describing the luxury hardware that ships with Sky Q, we have a horrible feeling it's actually referring to the price tag.
One industry analyst has already predicted that Sky Q will push television subscriptions over the £100per month mark, which is a lot of money.
Coupled with a few Sky Q Mini players around the home so you can pick-up your television show seamlessly when you're kicked off the living room TV – and it could prove a pricey upgrade.
Sky Q has huge potential.
Sky already has an abundance of must-watch content, which is usually the criticism levelled at set-top boxes like the Roku, Amazon Fire, EE TV and Apple TV.
If Sky manages to implement some clever voice functionality – like fourth generation Apple TV's "what did she say?" voice command that skips back 15 seconds and enables subtitles for the missed dialogue – include on-demand apps like Netflix and populate the lightweight apps that slide-over your content to brings up glanceable news updates and sports scores – it will be a very compelling proposition.
Sky Q is without a doubt the future of Sky. But hopefully – with a few clever software features and app updates – it could become the future of television viewing, too.
Let's just hope the subscription cost doesn't out-price the majority viewers from that future.
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