Following Sky’s announcement of ‘Sky Glass’, a smart TV that will combine a state-of-the-art display with access to competitors’ streaming services;

Francesca Gregory, Associate Analyst of Thematic Research at GlobalData, a leading data analytics company, offers her view:

“Sky’s smart TV launch is a decisive move that reflects the decline of cable and satellite offerings in favor of streaming alternatives. This is the final stage of acceptance when it comes to the explosive growth of internet TV. GlobalData forecasts the streaming video on demand (SVoD) market to reach $5.1bn by 2025, with Netflix and Disney poised to take a large proportion of this revenue.

“The ‘Sky Glass’ TV aims to carve out a space in this busy market by providing access to its competitors’ platforms in addition to Sky’s own large repository of content. It remains debatable as to whether this will be enough to buy Sky’s continued relevance – the belated release of its smart TV behind competitors will inevitably have cost market share.

“Previously, the company has been dubbed the default for sports fans and older consumers. However, the new product removes the necessity of a satellite and set-top box, adopting a sleek and seamless appearance that will appeal to a wider audience of tech-savvy streamers. The ultra-HD 4k Quantum Dot display also aims to entice streamers to leave their laptops in exchange for a higher spec viewing experience that capitalizes on the drawn-out demise of cinema.”