British broadcaster Sky has announced that its new Internet-based, on-demand TV service Now TV will be launching on Android and other platforms tomorrow. Competing with the UK's LoveFilm and the recently-launched Netflix, Now TV promises customers an "easy and commitment-free way to enjoy amazing movies, instantly." The first round of content will be taken from Sky's library of movies, with Sports and other TV content due to be added over the next few months. Movies will be available to view for a one-off fee of between £0.99 and £3.49, or view unlimited movies with a Sky Movies Pass for £15 per month. To sweeten the deal, Sky's giving users a free 30-day trial of the Movies Pass, similar to what Netflix currently offers.
The service launches on PC, Mac and "selected Android smartphones" tomorrow, with other platforms including Xbox and iOS begin added later in the year. The "selected" part may set alarm bells ringing, as Sky operates a similar policy for its Sky Go streaming service, which so far has the Android app for that service limited to just a few handsets, with no support for Android 4.0 and above.
Given Sky's comprehensive library of content, though, it certainly has the potential to become a major player in the on-demand TV world. Check past the break for today's press release in full.
Source: Sky
*More choice for consumers as brand new internet TV service – powered by Sky – launches tomorrow
*Flexible & instant access to the latest Hollywood blockbusters and hundreds of classic movies on Sky Movies
*Free 30-day trial of the Sky Movies Pass
NOW TV, the brand new internet TV service from Sky, is about to give millions more people an easy and commitment-free way to enjoy amazing movies, instantly. From tomorrow, NOW TV will open up more choice for consumers by making Sky Movies – followed later this year by Sky Sports - available across a wide range of internet-connected devices.
Building on the increasing popularity of watching TV over the internet, NOW TV will offer access to Sky Movies – the UK’s most popular subscription movies service – in a new way. It is easy, flexible and great value – with no contract, set-up costs or installation.
NOW TV gives you two ways to watch great movies.
For total flexibility, NOW TV customers can ‘pay & play’ for instant access to an extensive range of over 1,000 movies through Sky Store including the very latest ‘now on DVD’ releases and much-loved classics. From launch, ‘now on DVD’ titles will include recent releases such as We Bought a Zoo, The Woman in Black, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, This Means War and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. ‘Pay & play’ movies on NOW TV range from 99p for classic titles to £3.49 for the latest blockbusters.
For an all-you-can-watch experience, NOW TV also offers the monthly Sky Movies Pass with instant and unlimited access to the entire Sky Movies collection. At any time, customers with a Sky Movies Pass can choose from over 600 movies, including recent blockbusters and classics from major Hollywood studios such as Disney, Fox, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros., and Universal. Each Friday, there are up to five new and exclusive Sky Movies premieres, at least 12 months before they are available on other online subscription services. In fact, Sky Movies offers customers access to around three-quarters of the year’s top 100 UK box office movies. At launch, the Sky Movies Pass comes with unlimited, instant access to titles such as X-Men: First Class, Bridesmaids, Green Lantern, Cowboys and Aliens and many more.
All NOW TV customers signing up for the Sky Movies Pass can enjoy a free 30-day trial. Following the end of the trial period, the Sky Movies Pass is available for just £15 a month.
Available to anyone in the UK with an internet connection, NOW TV will launch tomorrow on PC, Mac and selected Android smartphones; on iPhone, iPad within the next month, on Xbox later this summer and YouView when it launches. NOW TV will continue to develop for other platforms and devices, including Sony PlayStation 3 and Roku streaming player, with further announcements to follow.
More great Sky content will also be added in the coming months, with Sky Sports due to launch on NOW TV before the end of the year. This will enable NOW TV customers to enjoy live action from the Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, England Test cricket, Heineken Cup rugby, ATP tennis, the Masters from Augusta and much more. The introduction of Sky Sports will be followed on NOW TV by must-see shows from Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Arts and Sky Living, including home-grown drama, original comedy and US shows.
Simon Creasey, Director, NOW TV, comments:
“NOW TV will bring more choice to UK consumers and an easy way to enjoy amazing movies, instantly. Following the explosion in internet-connected devices, we know that more and more people are looking for great content to watch over the web, and that’s where NOW TV comes in. Offering a new and exciting way to enjoy Sky Movies on some of the most popular internet-connected devices, NOW TV gives films fans everywhere a new choice.
“As we move forward, NOW TV will get even bigger and better, with more devices and more platforms in the coming months. Customers can also look forward to the best live action from Sky Sports and great drama, comedy and entertainment from our Sky channels.”
For more details on NOW TV, please visit: www.nowtv.com
