Sky Unveils Next-Generation System Sky Q

LONDON: The newly unveiled Sky Q home entertainment system is promising a "fluid viewing" experience, allowing users to watch live channels, recordings and on-demand content in any room on a TV or tablet.

The system is set for a launch in early 2016. Among the features Sky is touting is the ability to watch shows anywhere around the home on another TV or tablet. Users can watch different programs simultaneously on up to five screens around the home, while recording four other channels. Viewers can also pause viewing on one TV screen and pick up where they left off in another room. For the first time, the offering allows users to save recordings on a tablet to watch anywhere.

The Sky Q hub allows all set-top boxes to be turned into wi-fi hotspots. A new TV guide and homepage is meant to reinvent the way users find and watch TV, with a curated Top Picks section and new personalized options.

Alongside Sky's TV series and movies, Sky Q opens up access to a range of content, including YouTube and Vevo. Users can stream web-based content to any TV connected to Sky Q or Sky Q Mini. Initial streaming partners include Condé Nast Entertainment, GoPro, Jukin Media, Kin Community, Red Bull Media House and Whistle Sports, with more content creators to be added.

Jeremy Darroch, Sky’s chief executive, commented: “Sky Q is a brilliant new way for customers to experience TV on their terms. We wanted to re-imagine TV so that it’s flexible and seamless across different screens and to put a huge choice of entertainment at their fingertips. We think customers are going to love Sky Q and the great news is that it will get even better with much more to come in the future.”

Sky Q will be Ultra HD-ready. The new service will offer customers a range of sports, movies and entertainment content in quality with up to four times the detail of HD.