Advanced Television

NOW TV launches TV Smart Stick

January 25, 2018

Sky’s UK Streaming service NOW TV is set to launch the NOW TV Smart Stick, which it says is the UK’s cheapest streaming stick and a brand new way for users to access the best pay-TV shows, the latest and greatest movies and exclusive live sports on their TV set.

On sale from February 2018 for £14.99 (€17.20), the portable plug-and-play NOW TV Smart Stick is powered by Roku and comes with a remote featuring Voice Search technology that helps users quickly find their favourite shows, films, actors or directors. The NOW TV Smart Stick lets users pause live TV on all NOW TV’s premium channels including Sky Sports, FOX, Comedy Central and Sky Atlantic.

“If you’re looking for a flexible way to stream great TV, contract free, our plug-and-play NOW TV Smart Stick is the cheapest in the UK,” commented Gidon Katz, Managing Director, NOW TV. “Just add one of our content passes to stream premium live sports, binge over 300 Box Sets, watch a new movie premiere every day, or keep the family entertained with thousands of kid’s episodes,” he advised.

NOW TV will also be rolling out downloads to the NOW TV app across mobile devices for its kids, entertainment and cinema passes, starting with the Kids Pass this spring.

By the end of the year NOW TV will additionally be introducing the option of streaming NOW TV both live and on demand in full HD, with content from the likes of Sky Atlantic, Sky One and Sky Sports.

As part of its no-strings offering, NOW TV also revealed that new broadband customers will soon be able to get its broadband offering as a standalone contract-free service, without the need to bundle it with a NOW TV Pass. NOW Broadband will launch in the next few weeks with prices starting from £18.

Paolo Pescatore, VP Multiplay and Media, CCS Insight, said that overall, the announcements “clearly strengthen” the NOW TV offering. “Sky is providing users with more choice of how they watch TV on the go and represents a key way for Sky to gain new audiences and increase revenue.”

“The NOW TV streaming stick is big news. Sky is looking to jump on the bandwagon of this segment given the popularity of these small form factor devices. People will be blown away with the price of the new NOW TV streaming stick as well as the bundles (stick and passes).”

“And let’s not forget the slew of new features, which in our opinion will strongly resonate with users; such as voice control, pause live TV and full HD for the first time on a NOW TV product.”

This will be a key product ahead of the summer months, when the new EU content portability changes come into effect.”

“This latest move puts pressure on rivals to step up and to bring truly converged multiplay bundles to the market. Sky is in a unique position to differentiate with its premium content rights in all genres.”

“However, the company will be faced with some tough decisions of how it manages both the Sky Q and NOW TV brands. Yes, they cater for different segments, but it needs to ensure that NOW TV does not cannibalise its premium base. Effectively, consumers can sign up to more or less the same content for less money with NOW TV.”

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