Sky Q enhanced; adds Spotify
February 27, 2018
Sky has announced the next stage in the development of its Sky Q home entertainment platform. Beginning in March 2018, Sky will progressively roll out product features that it says will make the Sky Q experience even better.
At the same time, Sky Group is announcing a new partnership with the music subscription service Spotify. Starting first in the UK and Ireland, the partnership will offer customers easier access to more of the entertainment they love.
Sky Q will continue to be enhanced with multiple new features which the broadcaster says will make it even easier for customers to find and enjoy content they love.
Greater personalisation based on a household’s viewing habits will ensure customers are served content most relevant to them. At the same time, Sky Q’s Voice functionality will be extended to give customers the ability to ask for personalised recommendations such as ‘show movies for me’.
In order to create an even better viewing experience, a new, wide-screen, user interface will be introduced and the amount of Ultra HD content available will double this year, with over 1,000 hours of UHD content on Sky including the whole Spider-Man franchise.
Sky Q will become one of the safest places for kids to watch TV with the introduction of a new Kids mode, giving parents peace of mind over what their children can access and watch whilst at the same time offering a fun environment for younger audiences. The reach and accessibility of Sky Q will also be extended with the ability to stream content to more devices at the same time, plus a Sky Q app will become available on Smart TVs and third-party devices.
Spotify will launch on Sky Q in the UK and Ireland in the spring of 2018. Along with the recently–launched Sky Soundbox, Sky says the partnership will offer customers a simple set-up for a high quality home music solution.
With over 35 million songs, customers can find music from global superstars such as Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Drake, or browse Spotify’s library of curated playlists such as Hot Hits UK, Easy 90s and Massive Dance Hits within the Sky Q homepage and via the Spotify app.
Customers will be able to use the ad-supported Spotify service for free, or log in to their premium account.
Along with Sky Soundbox, customers will be able to augment their existing Sky Q audio services, including the ability to stream to TV speakers via AirPlay or Bluetooth.
“Sky Q keeps getting better and better,” declared Jeremy Darroch, Group Chief Executive, Sky. “With this suite of innovation, we are taking the user experience to another level – and we won’t stop there. We will continue enhancing Sky Q and finding new ways to bring customers more of what they love, and in so doing ensure we appeal to every household and everyone in that household. With Spotify joining our Sky Q platform, we are giving customers the best home entertainment experience in Europe.”
“The new features we have announced today represent a further step change for Sky Q and we are confident customers are going to love them,” added Stephen van Rooyen, Chief Executive, UK and Ireland, Sky. “At the same time, by adding Spotify to the platform in the UK and Ireland, we are offering customers the very best in home entertainment all in one place. The arrival of the world’s biggest and most popular music streaming service is a great addition to the platform as it will allow TV buffs and music fans to switch between their favourite shows, online video apps and music in an instant.”
“Spotify and Sky share a focus on innovation, disruption and delivering an excellent experience to our customers,” noted Jorge Espinel, VP of Business Development, Spotify. “We’re delighted that consumers in the UK and Ireland will soon have another means to listen to all the music and podcasts they love on Spotify via Sky Q. The partnership between Spotify and Sky will offer consumers the chance to enjoy great entertainment from two leading media brands, and we are excited for what the future of the partnership may bring.”