UK Satellite TV Provider Sky Expands 'Sky Go' App

From C21Media:

Sky expands Go app

UK satellite TV provider Sky is expanding its Sky Go mobile app, adding more channels and making it available on a wider range of devices.

From this week, viewers accessing the live TV app will be able to watch three more live Sky entertainment channels on the move: Sky1, Sky Living and Sky Arts1.

Sky is also launching the app for Android devices for the first time, a move that a Sky spokesman said will effectively double the size of its addressable audience.

Previously, the Sky Go mobile app included the five Sky Sports channels, ESPN, Sky News and the range of Sky Movie channels. However, the only entertainment channel that was available was Sky Atlantic, which launched on the app at the end of January.

While mobile users are able to access movie content on-demand, the other channels are only available through the app on a linear basis – though Sky said more on-demand content will follow in time.

The online version of the service, available through PC, Mac and Xbox games consoles, already offers more on-demand options and an expanded line-up of 39 channels, including MTV, Gold, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, History, Nat Geo Wild and Eden.

Sky Go launched last year when Sky brought together its separate Sky Mobile TV and online Sky Player offerings together under one banner.

Before this week, the Sky Go mobile app was only available for Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Sky estimated that in the UK market there are currently some 11 million of these iOS devices in use and an equivalent number of Android devices, made by the likes of Samsung and HTC.

The news comes just weeks after Sky said it was planning to launch a stand-alone internet TV service in the first half of this year to go head-to-head with on-demand rivals Netflix and LoveFilm.

Andrew McDonald
20-02-2012
©C21Media