sky.com
Sky is the UK's largest Pay-TV service provider with 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 it dominates; catch-up and on-demand TV content is an integral part of Sky Network.
The success of the network in Great Britain allowed the company to start its own streaming service. Apart from satellite broadcasting, you can find a wide range of content on the network, including a recently launched streaming service called Sky Q. The streaming service was launched less than five years ago and has come a long way in providing a comprehensive television viewing experience to its audience.
History
Sky Limited is a media and telecommunications conglomerate currently owned by Comcast. The company was previously owned by 21st Century Fox which had a controlling stake of 39.14%. Sky?s acquisition history has involved a lot of twists and turns, with News Corporation wanting to acquire the network along with Disney Corporation, but it was Comcast that acquired Sky Limited after they agreed to pay £17.28 per share in 2018.
Design
I like websites that have a uniform look throughout the pages. Sky's website is eye-catching, with the entire website reflecting their brand ideology. The color combination from red and purple flows throughout the banners, which are not just evident on their homepage but in their inner pages too. A hero section with a slider option helps you understand the content within seconds after entering the website. The homepage banners have a CTA asking users to "Join Now?" or "Find Out More?" about the service.
If you scroll down, you'll 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. It's like AT&T in the United States, except its rise to dominance can be accredited to its broadcasting rather than its telecommunication services.
If you continue scrolling, 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 really enjoy the page called "Find & Watch TV." The layout is very beautiful, with full-width banners that offer a great browsing experience. The well-made banners are matched by small text which doesn't take away from the beauty of this page. Each banner has a title followed by a short description and a button prompting you to learn more about a show. This website is easily the most user-intuitive in the streaming world, and it can compete with FX for the throne.
Content
Sky is known for its content prowess- it offers great value for money with its SkyBox sets, and you can enjoy popular series such as ?Game of Thrones?, ?The Walking Dead?, ?True Detective?, ?Big Little Lies?, ?Vinyl?, ?Blacklist?, ?Fortitude?, ?Bounty Hunters?, and ?Dexter.?
If you thought SkyBox was all there was to Sky, you're mistaken. There's also Sky Cinema, Sky Sports, Sky Kids, and Sky Multiroom. Let's discuss each of these services to get a better understanding:
Sky Cinema
Sky Cinema is like Disney movies Anywhere, but it's better. It has 11 movie channels, so you can access movies on demand any time and at any place. If you have internet access, you can also access 1000+ titles, ranging from classics like Bond series to the latest release ?Aladdin?. Sky updates its library on a seasonal basis, so right now is the best time to enjoy holiday movies. It's slightly more expensive than SkyBoxes, but it's an add-on that you don't want to miss.
Sky Sports
If you're an EPL fan, the only choice is 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
With Under the Sky Kids, you'll have access to eleven kid-friendly channels, as well as on-demand content comprising of 4500+ episodes of current and classic kids' shows.
Sky Multiroom
With the introduction of Sky Q, you no longer need to have set-top boxes in every room. You can now use Multiroom TVs with the help of Sky Q minis. These little boxes plug into your other TV and channel themselves via the main Sky Q box to help you stream content via an internet connection, preferably a Wi-Fi.
Sky Q has uplifted the compatibility
Sky Q has arrived and the new way of delivering content is amazing. The Mini Q boxes though they don't 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 can compete with Netflix and I stand by that because, despite their slightly higher price point, they do manage their on-demand content well. There is no need to make any additional investments in order to have a seamless viewing experience - whether you are using the TV box, the app on your phone or streaming it on your computer. I found it easy to watch shows downloaded to the box without any buffering; this is great news if you don't have a very good broadband connection.
The good news is that so far it seems like this paid review is worth the money. But be warned, some of the accolades may not last long.
4K Content is only available via broadcast
If you have a 4K TV, you can enjoy 4K content on broadcasts and TV shows. If you don't and want the 4K experience, you need the Sky Q experience pack with 2TB Sky Q box which can allow you to watch Premier League Games, F1, Boxing, Rugby, Darts and other sports on 4k quality.
Doesn?t have the best customer feedback
People don't seem to enjoy streaming Sky TV very much because the streaming experience is not great and their technology isn't up to date, as seen with the Q box not having HDR support. And unfortunately, there's no way to watch 4K without live events unless you're streaming.
Plans & Pricing
Sky's payment plan can be complex, just like 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.
Sky Q is a good value for £13/per month, and it's necessary for 4K streaming. You can watch content on the Q mini boxers or Sky Go app with Sky Q, and you can also download content to your device for offline viewing if you spend an additional £5/per month.
There are other subscription options that include:
-Subscribing to a monthly plan for $9.99/month
-Subscribing to a yearly plan for $69.99/year
-Purchasing individual issues for $7.99/issue
Sky Entertainment offers two subscription plans, standard definition at £22 per month and high definition at £5 per month. It includes 42 channels, which include HD content in kid's packs and on-demand. You can access up to two screens with Netflix, ITV, BBC, and Channel 4 HD.
This service allows users to access a vast array of box sets and Netflix content for a very affordable monthly price.
Sky Cinema is an HD offering with an expansive movie library which costs $11/per month.
An HD offering from Sky Sports that offers pricing between £18 to £30 per month based on the channels you want to watch.
Sky Kids TV is a subscription 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
I heard that Sky is trying to go completely digital. Their transformation might be seen as a positive if they can keep the prices feasible for their customers.
Conclusion
If you're looking for a library of content featuring a wide variety of channels, there's really no other option than Sky or BT. However, I do feel that they could reduce their plans and pricing when they go all digital.
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