David Farnor | On 04, Dec 2013

From today, the Sky Store is open to everyone in the UK, giving film fans a new pay-per-view movie rental service.

Sky’s movie rental service was previously only available to existing Sky subscribers and owners of a NOW box, but the company has now opened up access to the viewing public. The Sky Store joins a growing number of pay-per-view VOD platforms in the UK, including Google Play, Apple’s iTunes, blinkbox, FilmFlex’s combo of Film 4oD, Virgin Movies on Demand and EE, the Xbox and PlayStation online stores and the recently launched Wuaki.TV.

BSkyB vs blinkbox?

With so many options, how much of the pay-per-view market is left to snap up? Sky Store boasts a total of just over 1,200 titles, not enough to intimidate its rivals and is not yet available on mobile devices. The lack of an option to buy and own a title also leaves it several steps behind Tesco’s blinkbox and Apple’s iTunes.

Speaking exclusively to VODzilla.co, Sky confirmed that while the current focus is on rentals, they “keep an open mind” about offering pay-to-own titles.

While the company may seem a step behind the competition, though, its existing customer base gives it a strong position.

Indeed, demand for rental titles is on the up among Sky’s users: movie rentals through Sky Store on Sky’s set-top box Sky+ have more than doubled year on year, with 2.1 million rentals purchased in the third quarter of 2013. That surge in transactions has driven Sky to launch its all-new public platform.

How can I view Sky Store titles?

The service offers new home entertainment releases and older classics on the new website www.skystore.com, as well as through a NOW Box, Roku or YouView box.

What can I rent on Sky Store?

From today, movie fans can rent titles such as Man of Steel, The Hangover Part 3, Despicable Me 2 and The Lone Ranger for £3.49 each. Classic titles including The Godfather, Forrest Gump, Top Gun and Austin Powers are also available and range from 99p to £1.99 per rental.

Titles will be available for the standard window of 48 hours from the time they are first played.

What do you think? Will you be streaming from Sky Store?

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