Impressive specs and concept, with an eye-catching subscription purchase option
Rumors have been circling for months if not years that UK satellite broadcaster Sky was going to be launching a fully streamed product for people who don’t want or can’t have dishes on their homes. As it turns out, though, Sky has gone much further during a major product announcement today than just introducing ‘Sky Streamed’: It’s revealed that the first products to support a dishless Sky service will be a trio of ‘small’ (43in), ‘medium’ (55in) and ‘large’ (65in) TVs. And startlingly well specified and affordable TVs at that. Called Sky Glass and set t0 launch in the UK on October 18, each of the TVs will feature a 4K resolution, support for 10-bit HDR (including Dolby Vision, raising further hopes that Sky will start supporting Dolby Vision content at some point), and a built-in Dolby Atmos sound system. It’s not clear yet where the screens are sourced from, meaning we don’t know yet if they’re IPS or VA panels. We do know, though, that they use Quantum Dot colour technology, and surprisingly are illuminated by a direct LED lighting system backed up by local dimming (or Intelligent Zonal Technology in Sky’s words). Sky has also stated that the TVs will carry six speakers, including a large subwoofer and drivers firing out of the TV’s sides, to deliver on their Dolby Atmos support. Sky has really gone out of its way, too, to make the Sky Glass TVs look pretty unique, rather than them just looking like another brand of TV with a different badge on them. (Actually, there’s no logo on the Sky Glass TVs at all.) The chassis is wrapped in high-grade anodized aluminium, mixed with a woven acoustic mesh where required to let out sound from the built-in speakers. Its flat back features a built-in wall-mounting option, or it can be mounted on a distinctive but also ultra-discreet desktop stand that can hide away the single cable you need to run to the TV in order to gain access to all of Sky’s own content, and that of apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Discovery+, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All4, Spotify, Peloton and more.
