 | |
| Type | Pay television |
|---|---|
| Country | Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, United Kingdom |
| Availability | Satellite television andIPTV |
| Founded | February 2016 (2016-02) (release in the United Kingdom) |
Broadcast area |
|
| Parent | Sky |
Official website | Sky Q |
Sky Q is asubscription-based television and entertainment service operated byBritishsatellite television providerSky, as a part of its operations inAustria and Germany,Ireland,Italy and in theUK. The name also refers to the Sky Qset-top box.
Sky Q launched in 2016 replacing the previousSky+ andSky X services.[1] Sky Q has been referred to as a "multimedia platform" that combines conventional television withon-demand and catch-up services, as well as third-party services.[2] It includes aPVRset top box, a multiroom set top box, a dedicatedbroadband-connected "hub", and applications for mobile and desktop devices. As of April 2018, Sky Q was in 2.5 million homes in the UK, Ireland and Italy.[3] In July 2018, Sky reported that there were 3.6 million Sky Q customers.[4]
Sky Q was first announced bySky UK in January 2016,[5] and was released in the UK in March 2016.
Sky did not roll out Sky Q in Germany, Austria and Italy immediately, but released a modified version of the Sky Q set top box by Autumn 2016, named Sky+ Pro in Germany and Austria, and My Sky in Italy.[6][7] Like Sky Q, the box is capable ofUHD resolution and has a built-in Wi-Fi router, but it omits significant Sky Q features.[6][7]Sky Italia later launched Sky Q in Italy in November 2017,[8] andSky Deutschland did so in Germany and Austria in May 2018.[9] In contrast to the UK, Ireland and Italy (especially where Sky Italia launched Sky Q separately from My Sky), existing customers in Germany and Austria could receive Sky Q through a free software update on existing Sky+ Pro receivers.[9]
The Sky Q "Silver"set top box (called "Platinum" in Italy) has a 2terabyte hard disk and 12satellite tuners, allowing up to six live TV channels to be recorded while watching a seventh.[10] The box is capable of receiving and displaying4K resolution "ultra-high-definition" (UHD) broadcasts, which were started by Sky in the UK in August 2016.[11]
The standard Sky Q box has 1 terabyte of storage and 8 tuners, supporting broadcasts up to1080p ("Full HD"). A third box, Sky Q Mini, acts as a secondary device without tuners or hard drives that merely networks to the main box to allow the Sky Q service to be used in other rooms, and can also be used as aWi-Fi "extender" to provide stable broadband connections.[12]
The Sky Qremote control is fully redesigned compared to the earlierSky+ andSky+ HD versions, and has a large touchpad for scrolling and selecting within theuser interface.[13][12] The latest version of the remote does not feature a touch interface anymore.
Using the Sky Q apps designed for theAndroid andiOS operating systems, Sky Q recordings at home can be watched on mobile devices on the go.[13] Sky Q also offers access tobox sets onSky Store. In 2019, Sky teamed up withNetflix to offer that service with Sky Q for £3 per month, cheaper than a standard Netflix subscription, called "Ultimate On Demand".[14]Disney+ is also fully integrated in Sky Q.[15]
In August 2017, Sky addedDolby Atmos sound support on Sky Q.[16]High-dynamic-range (HDR) broadcasts began on 27 May 2020.[17]
Sky Group signed the deal with ViacomCBS (nowParamount Global) to launchParamount+ in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria by 2022. The app is available on Sky Q, withSky Cinema subscribers having access to Paramount+ at no charge.[18]
In January 2017,Sky plc's earnings report for 2016 indicated that it would launch a dish-less version of Sky Q service delivered through broadband Internet, with UK rollout projected for 2018.[19][20] No further developments on the UK rollout have emerged since then.
The Austrian version, namedSky X, was launched in March 2019, replacing a version ofNow TV operated in the country as Sky Ticket.[21][22] The Italian version, namedSky Q Fibra, was launched in September 2019;[23] unlike the Austrian Sky X, the Italian Sky Q Fibra co-exists with Now TV. Both Austrian and Italian Internet television services slightly differ from Sky Q satellite service in terms of features.
On 27 September 2019, Sky announced a new streaming box called Sky Stream, which launched on 18 October 2022.
Sky Q mostly received positive critical reception in the UK.Alphr.com in April 2018 called the service "pure brilliance" and that it "keeps getting better", rating it 5 out of 5.[24]TrustedReviews in April 2019 rated it 4.5 stars out of 5, praising the interface, on-the-go recordings, UHD resolution and Netflix integration, while criticising that it isn't cheap.[25] Another review from 2019, byT3, also rated it 5 stars out of 5, with the verdict stating "Sky Q was already the best viewing experience money could buy and now, with Netflix seamlessly integrated into its UI, it has powered even further away from its rivals." The cons were stated to be lack ofAmazon Prime Video andHDR.[26]Stuff also rated it 5 stars out of 5 as of January 2019, commenting that it "works flawlessly and could change the way you watch TV", although adding that "Sky Q isn't for everyone (at least not yet)" and that for some people its "extra features will look like luxuries that might not be worth the extra expense".[27]TechRadar rated it 4.5 stars out of 5, calling it the "best TV subscription service on the planet", with its main criticisms being lack of Amazon Prime Video and HDR.[28] AWhat Hi-Fi? review from April 2019 gave it 5 stars out of 5, praising the content and multi-room ability, while criticising it for being expensive and the touchpad remote being "fiddly".[29]
TrustedReviews named Sky Q the "Home Entertainment Product of the Year" in 2016, beatingPlayStation 4 andXbox One S.[30] Sky Q was rated "Best TV platform" byT3 in its 2018 awards.[31] Sky Q was the 2019 award winner by theWhat Hi-Fi? magazine.[32]
ActorIdris Elba is used by Sky UK for its advertising campaigns.[33]
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