Sky has launched a set-top box for its Now TV service. The on-demand TV and movie service was previously available on smart TVs, games consoles, You View, iOS and Android, and the web.
According to The Next Web, the device itself is a re-branded Roku box, which connects to your TV by HDMI and to the Internet over wifi, just like Apple TV.
Initially customers will only have access to iPlayer, Demand 5, Sky News and BBC News. There’s no 4OD, ITV Player, Netflix, or LoveFilm, though these could be added at a later date.
It also comes with a free thirty-day pass for Sky Movies. After that, customers will have to pay £8.99 a month on a three-month contract for a film pass, and £9.99 for a day’s access to Sky Sports. Users can also log into Spotify and Facebook accounts to stream music and photos.
Priced at just £10, the Now TV box is clearly an attempt by Sky to encourage more people to sign up for its sports and movies packages. While Apple’s, albeit much more expensive, Apple TV is also a way for Apple to sell content, it also allows users to use AirPlay mirroring and to stream content from computers on the same network.
Google launched a streaming device of its own this week, and Microsoft is targeting the Xbox One at that arena as well as the games market. Speculation that Apple will pitch in soon with an overhauled Apple TV will only increase.
