Sky: We feel the pressure to innovate

Sky - aiming to simplify latest tech for the home
Sky - aiming to simplify latest tech for the home

Sky's Brian Lenz has told TechRadar that he feels the pressure of bringing the latest technology to the UK living room, admitting that making things simple for the mass market is the biggest challenge.

Sky is keen to be seen as a company that brings the latest kit to our houses, with the current focus on companion device apps like the Sky News iPad offering, but the likes of Sky+, 3D and HD have all been major past projects.

"We are willing to innovate and that does bring pressure," said Lenz.

"The longer we go on bringing innovative products to market the more challenging it is, because simplicity is complex in this world .

"We know that we do something we are taking it out to a huge number of people; our smallest group is with our Sky+ HD consumers and they number 3.5 million, so anything we do will touch a lot of people."

Sky anytime

Box lifecycle

Lenz has been pleased to see that the most recent Sky+ HD kit has been capable of coping with the arrival of things like Sky Anytime on demand and 3D.

"You have more freedom when you introduce a new box but you also have to think about where you are in the life cycles of that kind of product," he added

"The last couple of years has been about unleashing the potential of HD satellite pictures with IP Connectivity and PVR; bringing those together in the home.

"Releasing that potential for our customers is challenging and we have to ask "can we do something in a way that will resonate with many customers"

Patrick Goss

Patrick Goss is the ex-Editor in Chief of TechRadar. Patrick was a passionate and experienced journalist, and he has been lucky enough to work on some of the finest online properties on the planet, building audiences everywhere and establishing himself at the forefront of digital content.  After a long stint as the boss at TechRadar, Patrick has now moved on to a role with Apple, where he is the Managing Editor for the App Store in the UK.