Currys is teaming up with Sky to help it boost interest in its flagship Sky Glass TV bundle, which includes both a television and subscription for streaming TV services.
As of yesterday, October 31, consumers will be able to walk into any Currys store and see the TV in action and order it right there and then, instead of pfaffing around online.
The partnership comes after Currys started selling the Sky Stream service last year, enabling buyers to pick up a Sky Stream puck that plugs into their TV so they can receive Sky’s content over Wi-Fi.
With Sky Glass, Currys is now selling the complete package at more than 200 U.K. stores. That said, we should note that Currys won’t actually stock the Sky Glass televisions. It will only have display models on hand for consumers to check them out for themselves, with the actual TVs shipped to their house by Sky itself, but the company does promise a very quick delivery. So it’s not really that much different from ordering from Sky directly.
The main advantage of Sky Glass is that users don’t need to get a satellite dish installed to start watching Sky’s content, as the service streams everything via broadband.
For those who want to go through Currys, they’ll be getting a complete package, including the Sky Glass TV, which is a 4K QLED television available in 43-inches, 55-inches and 65-inches, as well as a built-in Dolby Atmos soundbar, the Sky streaming platform that features apps like Netflix and Disney+ too, and a voice control remote.
If that sounds enticing, be aware that Sky’s pricing model is a little complex, to say the least. With Sky Glass, consumers are paying for two separate things, including the TV itself and also the regular subscription to access the TV service.
The TV payments can be spread across 48 months, with prices starting at £14/month for the smallest model. Yes, that is a four-year contract. Alternatively, consumers can simply buy the telly there and then, paying the full £699, £949 or £1,199, depending on the size they desire.
Besides the TV, users will also be required to sign up for the Sky Ultimate TV package, which is priced at £31/month with no contract, or £28/month per month on a 24-month contract.
The Sky Ultimate TV package bundles Sky’s Entertainment channels with the Netflix ad-supported plan and Freeview-over-broadband, so it includes quite a lot of content. However, those who want more will be required to pay extra to get additional content bundles, such as Sky Sports for live footy and other sports, Sky Cinema for movies, which includes the Paramount+ service, Sky Kids for cartoons, and others.
To celebrate the launch of Sky Glass at Currys, the company is currently offering a promotional deal where users will get the TV and Sky Ultimate TV package for just £33/month, with the TV priced at £14/month (for the 43-inch model) and the service costing £19/month, on a two year contract. But buyers should be aware that once the contractual period is up, they’ll have to stump up the normal price.
Users should of course bear in mind that Sky typically hikes its prices once a year, usually in March, so they’ll almost certainly be asked to pay more when their contract renewal comes up.
The answer to this question really depends on how badly you want to access Sky’s services, but consumers should bear in mind that the Sky Glass TV itself is now almost three years old, so there are certainly much better televisions with more advanced displays and features that their money could buy. That said, it has received plenty of feature updates over the years.
Buyers are also going to be asked to commit to a very long contract, though the ability to pay per month might appeal to some who are in the market for a new TV. We can say that annual price increases for the service plans are almost guaranteed, though it remains to be seen how big an increase they will be. User should also note that they’ll be signing two separate contracts, one for the TV and one for the service.
If you’re in the market for a new TV and feeling a little budget constrained, the Sky Glass bundle might represent a good option, especially if you really want to access Sky’s programming. The main benefit of this partnership is that consumers will actually have an opportunity to see the picture and sound quality of the Sky Glass TV for themselves, which wasn’t possible before, so they’ll be able to make a better judgement about whether it’s something they want to invest in.
We should point out that the Sky Glass is nowhere near as advanced as some of the more advanced televisions sold by the likes of Samsung, LG Electronics and Sony, but it does cost a lot less.
Sky said the special promotional deal kicked off yesterday, October 31, and will run until December 7.
“We’re delighted to be ranging Sky Glass online and across our store portfolio,” said Currys Chief Commercial Officer Ed Connolly. “The customer demand for Sky Glass is clear, a unique all-in-one solution that brings together amazing content, sound and picture, and now our customers can see and experience Sky Glass at Currys for themselves”.
