When Sky launched its coaster-sized streaming puck, Sky Stream, in October last year, the company pledged to preserve the longevity of the device by improving its functionality through software updates on a regular basis.
Now, as promised, Sky has announced yet another suite of free upgrades heading the operating system that supports both Sky Stream and Sky Glass in the UK and Ireland.
Entertainment OS 1.1 – which Sky says will have rolled out to all Sky Stream and Sky Glass customers by February 4 – brings Personalised Playlists, new voice commands and upgraded Bluetooth functionality to Sky’s wire-free entertainment experience. The software update comes just one month after Sky introduced a significant picture quality upgrade for Sky Glass.
Personalised Playlists allow users to create up to five unique playlists, making it easier to separate – or combine – the preferences of individuals in a single household. As before, Playlists can be added using the ‘+’ button on the Sky Stream or Sky Glass remote.
The platforms’ voice command capabilities have been upgraded, too. Users can now begin (or jump back into) specific movies and TV shows by simply saying “Play”, while generic franchise terms – think “Harry Potter” or “Twilight” – will bring up dedicated collection pages.
All major movies and TV shows on Sky Stream and Sky Glass will also now feature a Cast and Crew rail, which should allow users to more easily delve into the back catalogue of a specific actor or director (by comparison, navigating to similar pages on Sky Q is a much more drawn-out process).
And finally, Sky Glass users will soon be able to listen to show and movies via Bluetooth headphones while the same thing continues to play through the TV’s speakers. Sky says this feature is intended for customers who are hard of hearing – but it’ll also come as good news for anyone who prefers to watch their movies on a higher (or lower) volume than everyone else in the room.
Analysis: Improved value-for-money?
Sky has (often rightly) been criticized for charging significantly more for its entertainment products than comparable providers in the UK – but it’s hard to argue against the company’s commitment to providing customers with bang for their buck over time.
As mentioned, Sky rolled out a significant – and, crucially, free – picture quality upgrade for its satellite-free TV offering in December last year, which added noticeable improvements to contrast ratio, brightness and colour accuracy.
Then, only a few weeks ago, the brand added yet another streaming service, Discovery Plus, to its growing roster of free-to-access entertainment apps in the UK and Ireland – a move that followed the striking of similar deals for Peacock and Paramount Plus in November 2021 and August 2022, respectively (and you could already get Netflix bundled in).
What with Top Gun: Maverick, The Last of Us and Rian Johnson's Poker Face all now streaming through those various platforms, there's an argument to be made that (and whisper it quietly) a Sky subscription might be actually be a good value-for-money proposition in 2023.
If you’re keen to upgrade your existing Sky entertainment package, or looking to become a new Sky customer, check out our roundup of the best Sky TV deals available now.
