Sky’s streaming service NOW (formerly known as NOW TV) is now available on Android TV and Google TV platforms, including the NVIDIA Shield, Google’s Chromecast, and eight of the top smart TV manufacturers in the UK.
The NOW TV streaming stick was a product that was sold up till two years ago but was eventually phased off in 2021.
Since then, the NOW app has been more widely accessible on mobile devices like iPhones, iPads, Android smartphones and tablets, as well as streaming devices and Smart TVs like Amazon’s Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, Samsung, and PlayStation.
The Android TV and subsequently Google TV devices, which ran on Google’s TV operating system, lagged behind, however, until recently.
The NOW app will be accessible for download on the Google Play store of both Google TV and Android TV OS as of today (Tuesday, November 8).
NOW Streaming Service
The initial standalone streaming service from Sky, NOW, is available without a long-term commitment and as an app on any supported device.
Contrast that with the new Sky Stream, a Sky streaming service that is only compatible with the Sky Stream puck. For a comparison of the two, see our Sky Stream VS NOW comparison.
You can sign up for one of three main content bundles (referred to as “memberships”) right now:
- At £9.99 per month, NOW Entertainment. Sky’s TV networks, such as Sky Atlantic, and kid-friendly programming.
- At £9.99 per month, NOW Cinema. Similar to the Sky Cinema plan, with fresh blockbusters and old favorite.
- At £33.99 per month, NOW Sky Sports. Comparable to Sky Sports on Sky (with Racing, Mix and News being part of this membership instead of Entertainment).
For £5 per month, NOW Boost adds Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, Full HD (1080p) video quality, and no advertisements (for on-demand content). Sky’s live channels will still have advertisements, and you can stream on up to three devices at once (instead of just one).
NOW On Google TV and Android TV Devices
Contrary to popular belief, Google offers two different TV operating systems: Google TV, which is largely utilized on Chromecast With Google TV devices. And the older Android TV. Which is still prevalent on many smart TVs and third-party devices.
Even though it was already possible to “cast” content from NOW from a smartphone to gadgets that complied with the Google Chromecast standard, a native app wasn’t yet accessible on those systems.
As of right now, the NOW app is accessible on both variations of Google’s TV OS, including:
- Humax Aura: An Android TV-based Freeview recorder/streaming box (I’m waiting for confirmation from Humax, but given that the Aura uses the Google Play Store, I’m assuming it will be available)
- Shield by NVIDIA
- Chromecast With Google TV HD Chromecast, Google TV 4K
Android TV-powered smart TVs from the following manufacturers:
- Sharp
- Phillips
- Panasonic
- Bush
- Hitachi
- Toshiba
- JVC
NOW support was already implemented in 2020 to Sony’s line of Bravia Android TVs.
Today’s news was discussed by Marina Storti, MD of NOW, who said:
“With so many amazing home entertainment options available, we’re excited to be making it simpler than ever to download the NOW app and begin streaming.
“NOW and our flexible contract free memberships are only a download away. Whether you want to watch the most recent Premier League game, binge on House of the Dragon, or divert the entire family with blockbusters like Sing 2.”
