Sky Pod and Sky Box: Sky’s New Devices

Sky has taken the wraps off two new products designed to deliver customers easy access to lashings of live and on-demand video content. The portable Sky Pod and satellite-streaming hybrid Sky Box provide access to Sky’s suite of Sky TV subscription packages and also include a range of popular third-party streaming apps. Both devices are poised for release in the coming months as part of a phased rollout.

The Sky Pod is a compact media streaming device that provides plug-and-play functionality, plugging into a TV’s HDMI port. It’s designed exclusively for streaming, meaning no satellite dish is required to access Sky TV services. Meanwhile, the Sky Box combines both satellite and streaming services, and unlike the Sky Pod comes with the ability to record (at an extra cost).

As we’ll look at below, satellite TV access (and the need to have a satellite dish installed) is a key difference between the Sky Pod and Sky Box. We’ll run through the main features of both devices, some alternative streaming options, and factors to keep in mind when weighing up your options.

Sky Pod: No satellite dish required

The Sky Pod enters the market in the wake of the VodafoneTV box’s exit (set to cease services early next year). VodafoneTV was available as a standalone device. It features a range of built-in free-to-air channels and apps, plus the option of allowing customers to subscribe to Sky TV packages on a monthly basis.

As advised above, recording is not available with the Sky Pod, which is chiefly decked out for quick-and-easy streaming access. If recording is an important feature for you, check out our overview of the Sky Box in the following section.

Essentially, the Sky Pod provides many of the key functions you’d expect from a media streaming device, however with access to Sky TV subscription packages.

Sky Pod features include:

• Design – has a white finish, sporting a hockey puck design (much like Google’s Chromecast line), and appears to feature both ethernet and USB-C ports
• Operating system – based on Android TV
• Resolution – 4K HDR-ready
• Chromecast – allows you to cast content from a mobile device to the Sky Pod
• Voice remote – use voice commands (keep in mind you’ll need a Gmail account). The remote features a dedicated Google Assistant button and a dedicated Netflix button
• Streaming apps – Netflix, TVNZ+, ThreeNow, Disney+, Neon and Prime Video come preloaded, while you can download other streaming apps from Google Play
• Watch on any screen – the Sky Go app is included when you sign up to Sky Starter, allowing you to stream selected live and on-demand TV from your Sky TV package (you can watch up to two screens at once in addition to streaming through the Sky Pod)
• Restart TV and Reverse EPG – you’ll be able to watch from the start, with the option to scroll back up to 72 hours in the TV guide
• Customisation – a personalised home screen and individual user profiles

Pricing and availability

Sky advises that under the first phase of its rollout, the Sky Pod will be available to VodafoneTV customers for a one-off, non-refundable $100 fee to watch Sky TV services (as long as they subscribe to the base Sky TV package Sky Starter, priced at $25.99 per month).

Of course, on top of the Sky TV subscription costs, keep in mind that you’ll need to pay separately for any other third-party streaming services that require a subscription.

As far as general availability is concerned, Sky states that it plans to make the Sky Pod available to existing Sky TV customers in the future. There is no word as yet as to what the cost will be.

Further details can be found here.

Sky Box: A satellite-streaming hybrid

As advised above, the new Sky Box brings together satellite TV and streaming. This means that Sky customers can access Sky TV via satellite (depending on the Sky TV package subscribed to), along with on-demand content and third-party streaming apps.

Customers will also be able to use the Sky Box to record programs, with Sky’s My Sky service enabling recording of up to five shows at the same time while watching another live (this is a paid service, costs outlined below).

The Sky Box is a fixed option, as opposed to the portable Sky Pod. As such, it requires the installation of a satellite dish (Sky advises that free standard installation is provided).

Sky Box features include:

• Design – a white finish, measuring in at: 210 x 170 x 45mm. Comes with built-in wi-fi as well as an ethernet port
• Operating system – based on Android TV
• Resolution – 4K HDR-ready
• Chromecast –  allows you to cast content from a mobile device to the Sky Box
• Storage – 1TB hard drive
• Voice remote – use voice commands (as advised above, you’ll need a Gmail account). The remote features a dedicated Google Assistant button and a dedicated Netflix button
• Streaming apps – Netflix, TVNZ+, ThreeNow, Disney+, Neon and Prime Video come preloaded, while you can download other streaming apps from Google Play
• Watch on any screen – the Sky Go app is included when you sign up to Sky Starter, allowing you to stream selected live and on-demand TV from your Sky package (stream on two devices at the same time)
• Customisation – a personalised home screen and individual user profiles

Pricing and availability

Sky advises that customers can pay either a one-off, non-refundable fee of $200 or an ongoing, non-refundable $10 monthly fee to watch Sky TV services via the Sky Box (as long as they subscribe to Sky Starter).

On top of this, Sky’s My Sky service costs $15 per month. As with the Sky Pod, in addition to your Sky TV subscription, you’ll need to pay separately for any other third-party streaming services that require a subscription.

Sky advises that as stocks will be limited in the early stages of its rollout (starting before Christmas); it is prioritising existing Sky customers first before making the Sky Box available to new customers.

Further details can be found here.

Alternative streaming options: Matching the device to your content preferences

Of course, there are any number of TVs available with smart functionality, allowing you to directly access streaming services. Meanwhile, streaming devices, such as the Chromecast with Google TV, will transform your TV into a smart TV in short time. 

Other streaming device options (available at a range of price points) include: the Apple TV 4K, the SmartVU SV11 and Xiaomi’s Mi TV Stick, all of which will provide you access to major streaming services.

Beyond the technical specifications and pricing of different streaming devices, it is important to keep in mind convenience when choosing a device. You’ll ideally have access to all of your streaming services via the one device.

With this in mind, given that you cannot stream Sky TV packages via third-party devices such as these, one of the key selling points of the new Sky devices is the exclusivity of Sky TV content.

However, as we’ll look at in the following section, Sky also offers customers other streaming service options.

Sky Pod and Sky Box: Get on board for Sky TV content

In weighing up the appeal of the Sky Pod and Sky Box, it will likely come down to how much you prize access to Sky TV content. Unlike most major streaming services, access to Sky TV packages is limited to specific devices.

The third-party streaming apps that come with the new Sky devices are very much an added sweetener. For Sky subscribers, this consolidation of Sky TV and other streaming services may well prove a very attractive offer.

However, if you’re keen on Sky content, but don’t want to purchase a new device or subscribe to Sky TV, Sky does offer alternatives:

• Neon – this streaming subscription service draws on Sky’s library of TV and movie content.

• Sky Sport Now – delivers streaming access to 12 Sky Sport and ESPN channels.

Both of these streaming services can be accessed via a range of third-party mobile and smart TV devices.

Ultimately, you’ll need to consider which Sky TV services are important to you, and match the device(s) to the content. It’ll certainly be worthwhile keeping an eye on the respective rollouts of the Sky Pod and Sky Box in the coming months.

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About the author of this page

This report was written by Canstar author Martin Kovacs. Martin is a freelance writer with experience covering the business, consumer technology and utilities sectors. Martin has written about a wide range of topics across both print and digital publications, including the manner in which industry continues to adapt and evolve amid the rollout of new technologies.