Sky “Buy and Keep” DVDs and downloads
April 2, 2014
Sky has unveiled further details about its new “Buy & Keep” movie service.
Until now, Sky only allowed its customers to rent movies from the Sky Store, but its Buy & Keep service supports downloads that can be stored permanently on a Sky+HD box. Furthermore, every download will supported by a DVD copy that will be posted to the buyer a few days later.
Buy & Keep will make movies available at the same time as their DVD release, and Sky claims many will be available before their standard digital release on other platforms. Downloads will be available to watch “in minutes” and can be re-downloaded after deletion – provided viewers keep paying their Sky+ subscription.
The service is launching with hundreds of films, with highlights including The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Life of Pi and The Wolf of Wall Street.
Films will be priced between £7.99 (€9.4) and £13.99 at launch.
At present, users will be able to watch purchased downloads only through a Sky+HD box, but in the next year Sky has said that playback through smartphones and tablets will be supported, and beyond that TV show box sets will also be available to buy.
Eventually, the intention it to also make purchases available to non-Sky TV customers via the company’s Sky Store website.
Sky still has no concrete launch date for the service, only commenting that it will arrive “in the coming weeks”.