Now (streaming service)

Sky Picnic was a proposed pay television service which would have sat alongside Freeview and Top Up TV on the digital terrestrial television (DTT) platform in the United Kingdom.{{cite web |title=Proposed BSkyB digital terrestrial television services |url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/dtv/condoc_dtv.pdf |website=Ofcom |access-date=28 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010220803/https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/dtv/condoc_dtv.pdf |archive-date=10 October 2007 |date=23 December 2007}} The proposal detailed replacing Sky's three free-to-air channels (Sky News, Sky Sports News and Sky Three) with five pay TV channels: Sky Sports 1, Sky Movies SD1 plus Sky One during the evening with one hour of Sky News content. There would also be two further daytime channels: a factual channel and a children's channel.{{cite web |last1=Wilkes |first1=Neil |title=Disney Channel joins Sky's picnic |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tech/terrestrial/a80383/disney-channel-joins-skys-picnic/ |website=Digital Spy |access-date=28 May 2020 |date=22 November 2007}} It was first proposed in 2007 but was subject to a public consultation by Ofcom.{{cite web |title=Proposed BSkyB Digital Terrestrial Television Services |url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-1/picnic |website=Ofcom |access-date=28 May 2020 |language=en |date=22 September 2016}} Whilst the service was cleared to launch in 2010{{cite web |title=Delivering consumer benefits in Pay TV |url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/media-releases/2010/delivering-consumer-benefits-in-pay-tv |website=Ofcom |access-date=28 May 2020 |language=en |date=14 September 2016}} it never officially launched, Sky having put it on hold in 2008.{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Christopher |title=Sky ices Picnic, blames Ofcom |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/12/sky_picnic_on_hold/ |website=www.theregister.co.uk |access-date=28 May 2020 |language=en |date=12 September 2008}}

The Sky Picnic proposal was ultimately superseded by the internet-based Now TV platform.

File:Sky Ticket Logo (2021).svg

File:WOW Logo 2022.svg)]]

File:Sky-x-logo.png)]]

Now TV was unveiled by Sky UK in March 2012, and designed for people who have no existing pay TV subscription.{{cite web |last=Stallard |first=Katie |url=http://news.sky.com/story/961107/no-dish-no-contract-sky-launches-now-tv |title=No Dish, No Contract - Sky Launches NOW TV |publisher=News.sky.com |date=17 July 2012 |access-date=15 April 2014}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2012/3/21/2889462/bskyb-to-launch-now-tv-pay-as-you-go-streaming-tv-service-in-summer|title=Now TV: stream movies, sports, and other Sky TV content on demand from this summer |first=Sam |last=Byford |date=21 March 2012 |website=The Verge}} Its official launch was on 17 July 2012,{{cite web |date=16 July 2012 |title=Press release: Now's the time for NOW TV |url=http://corporate.sky.com/media/press_releases/2012/nows_the_time_for_now_tv |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719082159/http://corporate.sky.com/media/press_releases/2012/nows_the_time_for_now_tv |archive-date=19 July 2012 |website=Sky Corporate}} initially providing films, putting it in competition with Lovefilm and Netflix.{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/9402646/Now-TV-Sky-takes-on-Netflix-and-Lovefilm.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/9402646/Now-TV-Sky-takes-on-Netflix-and-Lovefilm.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Now TV: Sky takes on Netflix and Lovefilm |first=Emma |last=Barnett |date=16 July 2012 |via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web |url=https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2019/03/05/sky-austria-launches-streaming-offering-sky-x/ |title=Sky Austria launches streaming offering Sky X |date=5 March 2019 |website=Digital TV Europe}}

The Now TV service was later extended to other territories covered by the Sky Group. In 2014 a similar internet service called "Sky Online" was launched by Sky Deutschland in Germany and Austria,{{cite web |url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2014/10/30/sky-deutschland-launches-ott-platform/ |title=Sky Deutschland launches OTT platform |date=30 October 2014 |website=Broadband TV News}} and by Sky Italia in Italy in 2015. In 2016, Sky Online in Germany and Austria was revamped as "Sky Ticket" and structured the same as Now TV in the UK,{{cite web |url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2016/08/26/sky-deutschland-launches-new-ott-platform/ |title=Sky Deutschland launches new OTT platform |date=26 August 2016 |website=Broadband TV News}} and was rebranded in Italy under the original British name of Now TV. On 26 April 2017, Now TV launched in Ireland.{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/sky-brings-now-tv-on-demand-service-to-ireland-1.3061851 |title=Sky brings Now TV on-demand service to Ireland |first=Laura |last=Slattery |newspaper=The Irish Times}} On 11 September 2017, the service launched as simply "Sky" in Spain, the first Sky-branded product in that country.{{cite web |url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2017/09/11/sky-launches-spanish-streaming-service/ |title=Sky launches Spanish streaming service |date=11 September 2017 |website=Broadband TV News}} In March 2019, Sky X launched in Austria, making use of a blend of Now TV and Sky Q elements, and replaced Sky Ticket, as an offering between Sky Ticket and the full TV service Sky Q.{{cite web |last=sky-angebot.at |date=2019-02-19 |title=Sky Ticket (Österreich): Preise & Angebote im Überblick |url=https://www.sky-angebot.at/sky-ticket |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Sky-Angebot.at |language=de-DE}} On 1 September 2020, Sky stopped offering the product in Spain.{{cite web |title=Cierra Sky España: la plataforma dejará de emitir el 1 de septiembre - Ecoteuve.es |url=https://ecoteuve.eleconomista.es/programas/noticias/10683714/07/20/Cierra-Sky-Espana-la-plataforma-dejara-de-emitir-el-1-de-septiembre.html |access-date=28 October 2020 |website=ecoteuve.eleconomista.es |language=es}}

In Summer 2016, Sky UK extended the brand to telecommunication services by launching contract-free budget broadband internet in the UK, initially named Now TV Combo,{{cite web |title=Now TV launches contract-free broadband and TV |url=https://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/news/broadband/now-tv-launches-contract-free-broadband-and-tv-01293 |website=broadbandchoices.co.uk |access-date=8 April 2020 |language=en |date=29 June 2016}} and from early 2018 branded as Now Broadband.{{cite web |title=Sky Say Goodbye to NOW TV Combo and Hello NOW Broadband - ISPreview UK |url=https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2018/01/sky-say-goodbye-now-tv-combo-hello-now-tv-broadband.html |website=ISPreview |access-date=8 April 2020 |date=25 January 2018}}

In early 2021, Now TV rebranded as NOW.{{cite web |title=NOW TV rebrands to NOW |url=https://www.skygroup.sky/article/now-tv-rebrands-to-now|access-date=3 April 2021 |website=www.skygroup.sky |language=en-gb}}

In Summer 2022, Sky Ticket rebranded to WOW.{{cite web |title=WOW: Sky Ticket gets new name |url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2022/06/07/wow-sky-ticket-gets-new-name/ |access-date=28 June 2022 |website=www.broadbandtvnews.com |date=7 June 2022 |language=en-gb}}

Sky España was a service of Sky and supplied over-the-top pay television and video on demand service accessible only through the Internet created to compete with Movistar+, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video in Spain.{{cite news |last=Elvira |first=Álvaro P. Ruiz de |title=Sky llega a España con 12 canales de pago y sin deportes |newspaper=El Paais |url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2017/09/11/television/1505138778_592420.html |date=12 September 2017 |access-date=20 July 2018 |issn=1134-6582 |language=es}}

Yoigo is an operator of Internet and mobile services which maintains an exclusive agreement that allows customers to the rate into Fibra + la Sinfín with unlimited fibre access to Sky España service for €6 per month.{{cite web |last=Alonso |first=Santiago Millán |title=Yoigo rompe el mercado: lanza la primera tarifa con gigas móviles ilimitados |url=https://cincodias.elpais.com/cincodias/2018/04/03/companias/1522753844_159021.html |date=3 April 2018 |access-date=5 April 2018 |language=es}}

The service ceased to be available on 1 September 2020. Some content had already disappeared prior to it closing on 10 August 2020.{{cite web |title=Cierra Sky España: la plataforma dejará de emitir el 1 de septiembre |url=https://ecoteuve.eleconomista.es/programas/noticias/10683714/07/20/Cierra-Sky-Espana-la-plataforma-dejara-de-emitir-el-1-de-septiembre.html |access-date=23 July 2020 |website=ecoteuve.eleconomista.es |language=es}}

Sky returned to the Spanish market in 2023 with the introduction of SkyShowtime.

On 23 May 2023, Comcast (parent company of Sky Group) announced plans to launch a U.S. version of Now TV as part of its Xfinity cable and broadband unit, which will be priced at US$25 per-month and include linear cable networks and free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) services from Xumo Play and other partners.{{cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2023-05-23 |title=Comcast Launches $20 Monthly Streaming Service Now TV, With 60-Plus Channels and Peacock |url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/comcast-now-tv-live-streaming-channels-peacock-1235622840/ |access-date=2023-06-13 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

Upon its UK debut in 2012, Now TV offered only films at first, adding sports in March 2013,{{cite web |url=http://corporate.sky.com/media/press_releases/2013/pay_as_you_go_sky_sports_comes_to_now_tv |title=Pay-as-you-go Sky Sports comes to NOW TV |publisher=Corporate.sky.com |date=19 March 2013 |access-date=15 April 2014}} and entertainment channels in October 2013.{{cite web |last=Skipworth |first=Hunter |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a527177/new-sky-now-tv-package-brings-sky-1-access-and-more.html |title=New Sky Now TV package brings Sky 1 access and more |work=Digital Spy |date=29 October 2013 |access-date=29 October 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17458199 |title=Sky announces details of NowTV internet TV service |work=BBC News Online |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=21 March 2012 |access-date=15 April 2014}} Film and entertainment channels are accessed by paying a monthly fee, and sports on an ad-hoc basis ("pay as you go"). Unlike Sky's flagship satellite TV service, Now TV does not require a long-term contract.

Now TV offers "passes" with a specific set of content or channels that can be watched on demand or as live TV. The "Entertainment" pass has general entertainment content/channels from Sky itself (e.g. Sky Atlantic) and third-parties (e.g. Comedy Central), whilst the "Kids" pass covers children's networks such as Nickelodeon, and a "Sky Cinema" pass offers over a thousand films from Sky Cinema. There is also a dedicated "Hayu" pass, and a "Sports" pass (which offers a daily or monthly option), along with a sports pass solely for mobile devices{{cite web |title=NOW TV Complete Guide |url=https://www.broadbandswitch.co.uk/guides/now-tv-complete-guide/ |access-date=7 December 2020 |website=Broadband Switch |language=en-GB}} to stream live Sky Sports channels.{{cite web |url=https://www.uswitch.com/tv/guides/what-channels-are-on-now-tv/ |title=What channels are on NOW TV? |website=Uswitch}}

The Now TV boxes and dongles have extra downloadable apps that provide access to free catch-up or streaming services such as BBC iPlayer, ITVX, and UKTV Play, as well as access to Sky Store, Netflix (added in late 2018), Peacock (added in November 2021), Sky Sports Box Office, Disney+ (added in April 2020){{cite web |url=https://www.t3.com/news/disney-is-now-available-on-now-tv-heres-how-to-start-watching |title=Disney+ is now available on Now TV. Here's how to start watching |first=Robert |last=Jones |website=T3 |date=23 April 2020}} and YouTube.{{cite web |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2019-11-25/best-smart-tv-stick/ |title=Best Smart TV Sticks to buy | Amazon Fire v NOW TV v Roku v Google Chromecast |website=Radio Times}} From Spring 2020, Now TV provided access to BT Sport, and at the same time Now TV became available for BT TV customers.{{cite web |url=https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2020/02/21/sky-launches-new-packages-with-bt-sport/ |title=Sky launches new packages with BT Sport |date=21 February 2020 |website=Digital TV Europe}}

On 28 June 2022, National Geographic departed the service as its programming moved over to Disney+.{{cite web |url=https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/national-geographic-departs-now |title=National Geographic departs NOW |date=17 June 2022}} In its place, Now users had access to UKTV's mystery drama channel Alibi and NBC News Now,{{cite web |url=https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/confirmed-nbc-news-now-and-alibi-on-now |title=Confirmed: NBC News Now and Alibi on NOW |date=22 June 2022}} whilst customers with the Sky Cinema subscription package could access a range of films from Paramount+.{{cite web |url=https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/how-to-access-paramount-on-sky-and-now |title=How to access Paramount+ on Sky and NOW |date=22 June 2022}}

• Sky Showcase
• Sky Atlantic
• Sky Max
• Sky Witness
• U&Alibi
• U&Gold
• Sky Comedy
• Comedy Central
• MTV
• Peacock
• Sky Documentaries
• Sky Crime
• Sky Nature
• Sky History
• Sky Sci-Fi
• Sky News
• Sky Arts

• Sky Cinema Premiere
• Sky Cinema Feel Good
• Sky Cinema Hits
• Sky Cinema Action
• Sky Cinema Animation
• Sky Cinema Family
• Sky Cinema Comedy
• Sky Cinema Sci-Fi Horror
• Sky Cinema Thriller
• Sky Cinema Greats
• Sky Cinema Drama

• Nickelodeon
• Nick Jr.
• Nicktoons
• Cartoon Network
• Boomerang
• Cartoonito
• Sky Kids
• DreamWorks Channel (On Demand only)
• Moonbug Kids (On Demand only)

• Sky Sports News
• Sky Sports Main Event
• Sky Sports Premier League
• Sky Sports Football
• Sky Sports Cricket
• Sky Sports Golf
• Sky Sports F1
• Sky Sports Action
• Sky Sports +
• Sky Sports Racing
• Sky Sports Box Office
• Sky Sports Mix
• Sky Sports Tennis
• Sky Sports Extra

Now is available on a number of platforms, providing access via both big-screen and small screen mobile devices (correct as of March 2025):{{Cite web |title=How To Get NOW On Your Device |url=https://help.nowtv.com/article/get-now-on-my-device |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=help.nowtv.com}}{{Cite web |title=Ways To Watch NOW |url=https://help.nowtv.com/article/what-devices-can-i-use-to-watch-now |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=help.nowtv.com}}

{{div col|colwidth=18em}}

• PC and Mac via modern web browser (Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox are recommended)
• AirPlay on supported devices
• Android phones, tablets and TV via app.
• iOS 13 or later devices via app.
• Amazon Fire devices
• Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S (Xbox 360 no longer supported)
• PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 (PlayStation 3 no longer supported)
• Roku LT (Purple), XS, 3 (Black), Streaming Stick
• Apple TV 4th generation and later (3rd gen no longer supported)
• Chromecast Gen 2 and later
• Hisense TV 2022 models with VIDAA 6.0 and later
• YouView including BT TV/TalkTalk TV Gen 2 and later (the full Now TV service was added on 21 February 2020)
• Sony Bravia most TVs manufactured since 2016
• LG selected smart TVs, Blu-ray players and sound bars from 2018 and later
• Samsung selected smart TVs manufactured since 2016
• Now TV proprietary devices (no longer sold, white boxes are no longer supported)

{{div col end}}

The service offers streams at up to 720p resolution (or up to 1080p resolution, when subscribed to Now TV HD Boost at an extra cost) depending on the playback device. It uses adaptive bitrate streaming.{{cite web |url=https://www.pocket-lint.com/tv/news/now-tv/150167-now-tv-boost-is-the-full-hd-5-1-upgrade-we-ve-all-been-waiting-for |title=NOW TV Boost is the Full HD upgrade we've been waiting for |date=21 November 2019 |website=Pocket-lint}}

{{See also|Roku}}

In July 2013, Sky launched a white Now TV-branded Roku streaming box, allowing users to stream Now TV content to their television via an analogue baseband connection or an HDMI input. It retailed for £9.99.{{cite web |last=Lawler |first=Richard |url=http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/26/sky-now-tv-box-9-99/ |title=Sky's Now TV box is a £9.99 Roku clone that streams iPlayer and more |publisher=Engadget.com |access-date=15 April 2014}} It has limited access to the Roku Channel Store and only a pre-approved list of channels can be downloaded. A number of third-party channels can be side-loaded to the device using its Developer Mode.

In August 2015, Sky launched the Now TV Box 2 (based around a 2015 Roku 2) in black. It offers the same content as the original Now TV (white) box, but has a faster processor, an Ethernet port alongside Wi-Fi, a USB port and an SD card slot (not functional by default), and is capable of outputting at full HD (1080p) resolution.{{cite web |url=https://www.pocket-lint.com/tv/buyers-guides/now-tv/134825-now-tv-box-2015-vs-now-tv-box-vs-roku-2-what-s-the-difference |title=Now TV Box (2015) vs Now TV Box vs Roku 2: What's the difference? |date=5 August 2015 |website=Pocket-lint}} Unlike the original Now TV Box, the Now TV Box 2 does not have an analogue audio/video output socket.

The Now TV Smart Box ("Smart Box with Freeview"), coloured black with a blue logo, was launched exclusively in the UK in July 2016. It includes access to Freeview channels through an aerial, via an internal DTT tuner that allows the user to pause (for up to 30 minutes) and rewind live TV.{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.tv/sky/now-tv/review |title=Sky NowTV Smart Box |website=Stuff}}

In January 2018, Sky introduced the Now TV Smart Stick dongle which plugs directly into a TV's HDMI input and includes voice search.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/now-tv-stick-streaming-how-much-price-details-netflix-uk |title=Now TV's Smart Stick has voice control and costs just £15 |first=Matt |last=Burgess |magazine=Wired UK |date=25 January 2018 |via=www.wired.co.uk}} It was noted as the cheapest smart TV stick in the UK, costing £14.99 at launch compared to £39.99 for its rival Amazon Fire TV Stick.{{cite web |url=https://www.t3.com/news/the-now-tv-smart-stick-somehow-costs-only-1499-offers-full-hd-streaming-suite-powered-by-roku |title=The Now TV Smart Stick somehow costs only £14.99: offers Full HD streaming suite powered by Roku |first=Robert |last=Jones |website=T3 |date=25 January 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.t3.com/features/now-tv-smart-stick-vs-amazon-fire-tv-stick |title=Now TV Smart Stick vs Amazon Fire TV Stick |first=David |last=Nield |website=T3 |date=31 January 2018}}

The second generation Now TV Smart Box ("Smart Box with 4K") was introduced in September 2018 and is coloured black with a pink logo. It is smaller in size (mainly due to the removal of the Freeview TV tuner) and includes the voice search capability from the Smart Stick. This box is capable of streaming at 2160p (4K) resolution.{{cite web |url=https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2018/09/now-tv-launch-new-smart-box-with-4k-ultrahd-and-voice-search.html |title=NOW TV Launch New Smart Box with 4K UltraHD and Voice Search - ISPreview UK |website=www.ispreview.co.uk |date=27 September 2018}}

NOW TV recently re-branded to NOW has announced late in 2021 that it is discontinuing all NOW hardware products.{{cite web |url=https://www.cordbusters.co.uk/now-tv-discontinues-own-streaming-devices/ |title=NOSky's NOW Discontinues Its Own Streaming Devices |website=www.cordbusters.co.uk |date=18 May 2021}}

As of Q4 2018, Now TV had a 10% share in the UK OTT subscription market, placing it third behind Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.{{cite web |url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2019/08/08/in-the-uk-netflix-and-amazon-beat-sky-now-tv/ |title=In the UK, Netflix and Amazon beat Sky Now TV |date=8 August 2019 |website=Broadband TV News}}

Before its launch, Hong Kong–based PCCW filed trademark complaints about British Sky Broadcasting's (BSkyB) Now TV service. In October 2012, a High Court judgment in London ruled that BSkyB did not infringe PCCW's rights regarding the Now TV name.{{cite news |last1=Halliday |first1=Josh |last2=Sweney |first2=Mark |date=2 November 2012 |title=BSkyB Wins High Court Trademark Battle over Now TV Name |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/nov/02/bskyb-wins-trademark-battle-now-tv |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website}} for the United Kingdom and Ireland
• {{Official website|https://www.wowtv.de/}} for Germany (WOW)
• {{Official website|https://www.nowtv.it/}} for Italy
• {{Official website|https://www.skyx.sky.at/}} for Austria (Sky X)

{{Sky Group}}

{{Comcast}}

{{UK Based TV on demand}}

{{VOD services}}

{{Media in the United Kingdom}}

{{Television in Italy}}

Category:Sky Group

Category:Internet properties established in 2012

Category:2012 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:Video on demand services

Category:Streaming television in the United Kingdom