The new Sky box, which will support third-party apps like Netflix, and 4K Ultra High Definition video, but come with a $200 upfront fee. Photo / Supplied
The new Sky box, which will support third-party apps like Netflix, and 4K Ultra High Definition video, but come with a $200 upfront fee. Photo / Supplied
Sky TV has revealed more details - and what it will cost - for the new box that will replace its decade-old decoders.
The new Sky Box, which will support third-party apps such as Netflix, Amazon's Prime Video and Disney+ (at separate cost) and 4K Ultra High Definition video, butwill come with a $200 one-off fee (or a $10 per month option).
Those who are upgrading from the soon-to-be-closed Vodafone TV will be offered a cheaper "Sky Pod" for $100 upfront.
Unlike the new Sky Box, which will come with 1 terabyte of storage (or around five times as much as today's decoders), the Pod will have none, instead offering on-demand streams of recent programming for 72 hours.
The new Sky Box is billed as a "hybrid". It will require a dish for Sky's regular channels, but deliver apps via broadband. The Pod will offer Sky channels over UFB fibre (see full features chart below).
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The new Sky Box will support third-party apps like Netflix, and 4K Ultra High Definition video, but comes with a $200 upfront fee. The remote has a dedicated Netflix button but, curiously, none for Sky's own Neon service. Any streaming app available through Google Play can be loaded to the new Sky Box or Sky Pod.
The new Sky box will also be able to record five shows at once – but you'll have to pay a $15/month MySky fee for the privilege.
It's possible not everyone will pay full whack. A Sky spokeswoman said there will be "a range of special offers" for long-time customers.
The Sky Pod, which will be available for Vodafone TV subscribers for $100 up-front.
Those who want to stick with their current decoder will be able to do so.
Sky subscribers who want to ditch their dish will not be able to buy the Pod, at least initially.
The first run is reserved for Vodafone TV customers, though the broadcaster may later broaden its availability.
Source / Sky
There has been no immediate word on when Sky TV plans to begin broadcasting some content or offering its Sky Sport Now or Neon services in 4K (already supported by the major streaming services). 4K offers up to four times the picture quality of the high definition standard offered by today's decoders - as long as content is shot and broadcast in 4K, and you have a 4K TV.
The downside: 4K recordings take four times as much storage space.
An interface for the new Sky box that was included in a Sky customer survey.
Spark Sport is not featured on a list of supported apps, but a Sky spokeswoman said Sky Box and Sky Pod users will be available to load any app available through Google's Play store, including the telco's sports streaming service.
Both the Sky Box and Sky Pod run on Google's Android software, and support the tech giant's "Hey Google" voice commands.
Sky originally planned to release its new box mid-year, but was hit by pandemic and Ukraine war-related supply chain issues.
The firm updated this morning: "As stocks [of the new Sky box] will be limited in the early stages of our roll-out (which will start before Christmas), we are prioritising offers to existing Sky customers first before making it available to new customers."
A spokesperson said the number of Vodafone TV customers who would be sent the Pod offer was "commercially confidential".
Vodafone TV recently got a stay-of-execution to November 30, due to the Sky Box delays.
About 40,000 Vodafone customers qualify for refunds of between $75 and $179, depending on when they bought their device.
The new Sky Box and Sky Pod will arrive as Freeview shuts down its OnDemand service - a move flagged after TVNZ withdrew support.
Freeview OnDemand will close at an unnamed point later this year.
Sky shares closed yesterday at $2.20. The stock is up 8.9 per cent for the year.
The broadcaster earlier told investors its cap-ex costs will rise this financial year to $60m to $75m (from last year's $45m in FY2022) with the rollout of its new Sky box.
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