Comcast’s European pay television service Sky is offering customers a camera that can be installed on their Sky Glass television sets.
The camera unlocks a function called Sky Live, which provides a number of new interactive features through the Sky Glass television set, including the ability to launch a watch party with other customers, get personal training sessions through a new fitness app and play immersive and interactive games.
“Sky Live makes your TV much more than just a TV, by introducing new entertainment experiences for the heart of your home,” Fraser Stirling, the global chief product officer at Sky, said on Thursday. “Get active with motion control games, work out with body tracking technology, video call on the big screen and watch TV with loved ones, even from afar. And this is just the start.”
The Sky Live camera sits on top of any Sky Glass television set, attaching itself securely with a magnetic base and connecting to the TV with a simple cable setup. A dedicated button on the camera allows users to shut off the lens and the microphone whenever they want, which Comcast asserts will give customers total privacy when they need it.
Sky Glass launched in 2021, and runs a variant of Comcast’s X1 smart operating system called Entertainment OS. The software is tailor-made for Sky satellite and streaming viewers where the service is offered in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Comcast acquired Sky in 2018.
The television set offers a number of high-quality features, including support for Dolby Atmos, ultra-high definition (UHD/4K) video, voice controls and five different colors (with remotes offered in the same variety of colors to match the set). Sky Glass allows users to stream content from Sky and Now TV, as well as third party apps like Netflix, Disney Plus, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All4, Spotify and Peloton.
Sky Live costs £6 a month (about $7.65 a month) when purchased from Sky on a 48-month installment plan, though customers also have the option of paying £280 (about $360) for the device outright. That price is on top of the cost of Sky Glass, which Sky charges £13 a month (about $16.50 a month) or £650 (about $830) for the base 43-inch model.
