Sky To Bundle Netflix Into New Subscription Pack

In a first-of-its-kind partnership, Sky and Netflix are teaming up to bring the streaming service into a new Sky TV subscription pack. Sky customers will now have access to Netflix through the Sky Q platform. The move will combine Sky and Netflix content side-by-side. Sky already has exclusive content deals in place with HBO, Showtime and Warner Bros. It also airs Fox and Disney programming as well as its own originals.

This agreement aims to give customers a broader and better range of programming — and demonstrates that Sky is still charging ahead with innovations while being a coveted asset in a potential tug-of-war between 21st Century Fox and Comcast. The latter on Tuesday made a $31B overture to acquire the European satellite pay-TV giant.

In what it deems “an attractively priced entertainment TV pack,” Sky says the Netflix app will be integrated into Sky Q, with Netflix programs promoted alongside Sky content. Existing Netflix customers will be able to migrate their account to the new Sky bundle, or sign into the Netflix app using their existing account details.

The rollout of the partnership will begin this year in the UK and Ireland and will be followed by Germany, Austria and Italy thereafter. Sky will also launch Netflix as a standalone app on NOW TV’s family of streaming devices. Sky Ticket in Germany and Austria, and NOW TV in Italy, will launch a standalone app on their devices in due course.

Further enhancements to the Sky Q home entertainment platform were unveiled earlier this week and include voice functionality that gives personalized recommendations as well as further personalized experiences throughout the user interface, sports preferences and a kids mode.