David Farnor | On 22, Jul 2016

Sky Q is embracing binge-viewing with a string of new updates designed to keep people glued to their TV.

Sky launched its premium set top box earlier this year, with an emphasis on higher picture quality and the ability to stream online and offline to devices around the house and in customers’ pockets. After years of being an established presence in UK living rooms, Sky was feeling the pressure from competitors such as Netflix – now, Sky is bringing its binge-viewing game to its rivals.

Today’s updates make TV viewing even simpler, adding the flexibility to watch episode after episode of addictively good box sets like Game of Thrones and Billions. And with a new Top Picks and Sports Homepage including even more recommendations from On Demand and for the first time live and future broadcasts, it’ll be easier for customers to discover their next favourite series to fuel a box set binge or catch the latest action from a packed summer of sport.

New features in Sky’s update include an Auto Download service, which will automatically start to download the next instalment of a show, when customers start watching an episode from a series they have downloaded, so it’s ready and waiting for them. Auto Play will string those episodes together: when customers get to the end of an episode, the next one will automatically start to play after 30 seconds, unless customers exit instead.

Customers can also get to a specific place in a recording or download more easily by skipping forwards or backwards: pressing pause and then swiping on the touch pad will move minute by minute through a video, or swiping-and-holding will move to a specific time.

Should a customer want to turn off Auto Play and Auto Download they can do so in Settings > Setup > Preferences, while Sky’s kids’ catalogue will not be available to Auto Download.

Top Picks will add more recommendations to the current On Demand offering, so customers will find it easier to find more content, while Series Record in the Mini Guide will allow customers to set a recording for a programme’s whole run, so it’s available to watch when they like.

PIN Protection has also been introduced for Online Video clips, with customers prompted for a PIN to watch 18+ rated content between 5am and 9pm, if they have the Family Friendly setting on.

While all of the above is designed to make binge-viewing of box sets easie and safer, Sky hasn’t left sports out of the equation, with a revamped Sky Sports homepage to make it easier for Sky Sports customers to find the best of live and On Demand sports.

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