Sky borrows from Netflix's playbook with 'Watch Next' feature
Binge-watch an entire series by hitting the green button once every hour.
If you like to binge-watch shows but haven't yet jumped aboard the Netflix bandwagon, Sky's latest update could show you what you're missing out on. The broadcaster announced today that it's rolling out new features that let Sky+ users download entire seasons at a time and then watch the episodes back-to-back.
The Download All feature works by moving a full series to your planner and then downloads the first two episodes automatically (making sure you have two available at all times). Watch Next, on the other hand, takes Netflix's Post-Play feature and repurposes it for Sky+. It means that you can watch an entire season from start to finish by simply hitting the green button once every hour (think of it as Sky's answer to the "Are you still watching?" prompt).
Sky will also include a number of visual tweaks in the new update. New Series, Suggestions, Search and TV Box Sets areas will gain show art, helping you decide what to watch. Movies will also be listed in order of their expiry date, ensuring you won't miss your chance to view a film before it expires. Finally, Sky will improve Suggestions by including eight recommendations based on what's already in your Planner.
Over the past year, Sky has worked to close the gap on Netflix with a new Kids section and an upcoming Kids app. And with Sky Q now being installed in homes, the company will further push its multi-screen and on-demand services to supplement over-the-air broadcasts. Sky says that while the update is making its way to customers from today, it won't fully roll out until "late Spring."
